semi-sweet

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a nountechnical

   Describing chocolate that has some sugar added but is not as sweet as milk chocolate.

   Grammar: Almost always comes before the noun: semi-sweet chocolate, semi-sweet chips.

   Patterns

   • semi-sweet chocolate
   • semi-sweet chocolate chips

   The recipe calls for one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

   I prefer semi-sweet chocolate in cookies because it is less sugary.

   Melt the semi-sweet chocolate slowly over low heat.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Describing a drink, especially wine or cider, that is slightly sweet but not fully sweet.

   Grammar: Used before a noun; for drinks, 'off-dry' is the more technical term.

   Patterns

   • semi-sweet wine
   • a semi-sweet cider

   They served a semi-sweet white wine with the dessert.

   This semi-sweet cider appeals to people who dislike dry drinks.

Common combinations

semi-sweet chocolate

She bought semi-sweet chocolate for the brownies.

semi-sweet chocolate chips

Add a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.

dark semi-sweet chocolate

Dark semi-sweet chocolate works best in this ganache.

semi-sweet wine

The waiter suggested a semi-sweet wine to go with the spicy food.

Synonyms and how they differ

bittersweet

Bittersweet chocolate is usually darker and less sweet than semi-sweet, so it is not a perfect swap in recipes.

dark

'Dark chocolate' is a general label that may include semi-sweet, but it can also mean much less sweet chocolate.

Opposites

Word family

sweet adjective

Having a taste like sugar.

sweetness noun

The quality of tasting sweet.

sweeten verb

To make something sweeter.

Commonly confused: semi-sweet or semi-skimmed?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “semi-sweet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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