candy
1 of 2noun
can·dy ˈkan-dē 
plural candies
1
: crystallized sugar formed by boiling down sugar syrup
2
a
: a confection made with sugar and often flavoring and filling
b
: a piece of such confection
3
: something that is pleasant or appealing in a light or frivolous way
visual candy
candy adjective
candy
2 of 2verb
candied; candying
transitive verb
1
: to encrust in or coat with sugar
specifically : to cook (something, such as fruit or fruit peel) in a heavy syrup until glazed
2
: to make attractive : sweeten
candying up the duke's reputation
3
: to crystallize into sugar
intransitive verb
: to become coated or encrusted with sugar crystals : become crystallized into sugar
Synonyms
Verb
- dress up
- enhance
- sweeten
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun The cough syrup tastes like candy. Verb the publisher hopes the flashy cover will candy up the novel for impulse buyers
Recent Examples on the Web
Cameron Jenkins, Good Housekeeping, 16 Sep. 2022 This spectacular amaryllis has white blooms streaked with red and pink, somewhat like a candy cane. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2022 Aromas a generous river of candy cane, yellow and white pears and sultanas. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 31 July 2022 Few members of the general public have heard of the Libermans or their work, which has a looping, manic trajectory, like an ant’s climb up a candy cane. Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 25 July 2022 The Duchess of Cambridge knows the best way to keep a kid occupied during Christmas church services is with a candy cane. Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 4 June 2022 All Christkindlmarket locations are modeled after the classic German holiday market in Nuremberg, Germany, with traditional candy cane striped huts, organizers said. Beacon-news Staff, chicagotribune.com, 16 Mar. 2022 Customers can also choose from a king cake shaped like a fleur de lis, a heart or a candy cane. Rachel Taylor, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2022 During the holiday season, Do even ran a peppermint cà phê sua dá dusted with candy cane powder as a special. Garrett Snyder, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2022 Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 1 June 2022 Polybags—those ubiquitous transparent bags used to package all sorts of things from bulk vegetables to candy to new shirts—is a particularly enormous problem, Dune explains. Anne Quito, Quartz, 22 Apr. 2022 People hold up signs and bags of Skittles candy during a rally in support of Trayvon Martin at Freedom Plaza in Washington, on March 24, 2012. NBC News, 26 Feb. 2022 Whole or chopped pecans, which practically candy in the syrupy mix while baking, add substance and crunch. Melissa Clark, New York Times, 12 Nov. 2021 The family tradition started five years ago when a neighbor handed the children candy canes to pass out to visitors and someone ended up slipping them a dollar. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 16 Dec. 2020 Bonior says that parents shouldn’t candy-coat the stressful holiday situation for children or act as if things will be fine; instead, own it. Vicky Hallett, National Geographic, 24 Nov. 2020 Gobstoppers have many colorful layers, but none contain animal products...which making this vegan candy a winner this Halloween. Taylyn Washington-harmon, Health.com, 16 Oct. 2020 But the real kill shot is the double-kick easycore breakdown that follows, replete with a Four Year Strong-esque candied synth. Eli Enis, EW.com, 22 May 2020 See More
Noun
Create these colorful crafts, fill them with candy, then guess how many pieces fit inside. Cameron Jenkins, Good Housekeeping, 16 Sep. 2022 This spectacular amaryllis has white blooms streaked with red and pink, somewhat like a candy cane. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2022 Aromas a generous river of candy cane, yellow and white pears and sultanas. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 31 July 2022 Few members of the general public have heard of the Libermans or their work, which has a looping, manic trajectory, like an ant’s climb up a candy cane. Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 25 July 2022 The Duchess of Cambridge knows the best way to keep a kid occupied during Christmas church services is with a candy cane. Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 4 June 2022 All Christkindlmarket locations are modeled after the classic German holiday market in Nuremberg, Germany, with traditional candy cane striped huts, organizers said. Beacon-news Staff, chicagotribune.com, 16 Mar. 2022 Customers can also choose from a king cake shaped like a fleur de lis, a heart or a candy cane. Rachel Taylor, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2022 During the holiday season, Do even ran a peppermint cà phê sua dá dusted with candy cane powder as a special. Garrett Snyder, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2022 Verb
From there, a line of Skinnygirl products were launched that's included everything from microwave popcorn to salad dressings to candy to shapewear and jeans. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 1 June 2022 Polybags—those ubiquitous transparent bags used to package all sorts of things from bulk vegetables to candy to new shirts—is a particularly enormous problem, Dune explains. Anne Quito, Quartz, 22 Apr. 2022 People hold up signs and bags of Skittles candy during a rally in support of Trayvon Martin at Freedom Plaza in Washington, on March 24, 2012. NBC News, 26 Feb. 2022 Whole or chopped pecans, which practically candy in the syrupy mix while baking, add substance and crunch. Melissa Clark, New York Times, 12 Nov. 2021 The family tradition started five years ago when a neighbor handed the children candy canes to pass out to visitors and someone ended up slipping them a dollar. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 16 Dec. 2020 Bonior says that parents shouldn’t candy-coat the stressful holiday situation for children or act as if things will be fine; instead, own it. Vicky Hallett, National Geographic, 24 Nov. 2020 Gobstoppers have many colorful layers, but none contain animal products...which making this vegan candy a winner this Halloween. Taylyn Washington-harmon, Health.com, 16 Oct. 2020 But the real kill shot is the double-kick easycore breakdown that follows, replete with a Four Year Strong-esque candied synth. Eli Enis, EW.com, 22 May 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English sugre candy, partial translation of Middle French sucre candi, from Old French sucre sugar + Arabic qandī candied, from qand crystallized sugar
First Known Use
Noun
1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
circa 1537, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Phrases Containing candy
Kids Definition
candy 1 of 2
noun
can·dy ˈkan-dē
plural candies
: a sweet made of sugar often with flavoring and filling
candy
2 of 2verb
candied; candying
: to coat or become coated with sugar often by cooking
candy 1 of 2
verb
as in to sweeten
to make more desirable the publisher hopes the flashy cover will candy up the novel for impulse buyers Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sweeten
- spruce
- trick
- improve
- enhance
- dress up
- ameliorate
- enrich
- embellish
- soup up
- meliorate
- cosmeticize
- doll up
candy
2 of 2noun
as in sweet
Synonyms & Similar Words
- sweet
- dessert
- sweetmeat
- goody
- treat
- goodie
- dainty
- delectable
- junket
- cate
- tidbit
- morsel
- viand
- titbit
- delicacy
- kickshaw
- bit
Phrases Containing candy
- think tank
- think tanks
- think the world of
- think things over
- think through
- think twice
- think up
- think-so
- thinkable
- thinkableness
- thinkablenesses
- thinkabler
- thinkablest
- thinkably
- thinker
- thinkers
- thinking
- thinking (about or over)
- thinking (of)
- thinking (up)
- thinking about or over
- thinking back
- thinking better of
- thinking cap
- thinking of