Meaning & use
candied
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Preserved or coated with sugar, often used of fruit, nuts or peel.
Grammar: Comes before the noun: candied ginger. It is not usually used after a verb.
Patterns
- candied fruit
- candied peel
- candied ginger
She bought a box of candied fruit for the cake.
The recipe calls for candied ginger, chopped finely.
Candied peel adds a bright, sweet flavor to the bread.
adjectivebefore a nounfigurative
Made sweet or glossy as if covered with sugar.
Grammar: Used figuratively, usually before a noun: a candied smile.
Patterns
- candied smile
- candied words
He gave a candied smile that did not reach his eyes.
Her candied words hid a sharp criticism.
Common combinations
- candied fruit
- Candied fruit is often sold in small tubs.
- candied peel
- You can make candied peel from orange skins.
- candied ginger
- A few slices of candied ginger settle the stomach.
- candied nuts
- Candied nuts are a popular holiday snack.
Synonyms and how they differ
- crystallized
- Crystallized often describes fruit coated with sugar crystals, while candied can mean preserved in sugar syrup.
- sugared
- Sugared means sprinkled or dusted with sugar, not necessarily preserved in it.
Word family
- candy noun
- A sweet food made with sugar.
- candying noun
- The process of preserving food with sugar.
Commonly confused: candied or candid?
candied vs candid
Candid means honest and direct, while candied means coated or preserved with sugar. They sound similar but have very different meanings.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'candied' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Candied describes food preserved or coated with sugar, so 'candied cherries' fits. Option An is wrong because candied does not mean spicy. Option B confuses candied with candid. Option D uses candied as a verb, which is not standard.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “candied”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.