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Glite Dictionary
bittersweetness

bittersweetness

1 4.8
A feeling that is happy and sad at the same time
  • noun
  • /ˌbɪtərˈswitnəs/
translation icon : amargura dulce

Is this attunement to bittersweetness trainable?

Examples

  • There is a bittersweetness to it all, especially since I missed out on some good opportunities with men who were not black.

    Blog text (12)

  • All you can do is cry your heart out, bite the sandwich, and savor it all with its bittersweetness.

    Blog text (22)

  • Is this attunement to bittersweetness trainable?

    Rich Roll

  • Come on, I had a better, with a sad smile, I’d imagine, that fine appreciation of ourselves when we have bittersweetness right on time.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • BRIGHAM CITY -- There was a certain bittersweetness felt by the Hull family of Tremonton when they attended a cornerstone dedication ceremony on Sept. 23 on the grounds of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Brigham City Temple.

    Blog text (18)

  • Looking at old photographs of their childhood brought a bittersweetness to her heart as she remembered the happy times and the friends she had lost.

  • The bittersweetness of graduation made him feel proud of his achievements but sad to leave his friends behind.

  • She embraced the bittersweetness of saying goodbye, grateful for the memories while mourning the end of an important chapter in her life.

Synonyms

poignancy
vsbittersweetness
5 8.0

A strong, sad feeling that moves you

mixes pleasantness with sadness at the same time

Antonyms

joyfulness
1 2.0

A strong feeling of happiness and excitement

How Bittersweet

nostalgia
76 5.3
bittersweetness
1 4.8
wistfulness
2 6.8

Surface Forms

bittersweetness singular
bittersweetnesses plural

Morphology

bittersweetness = bittersweet (transparent) = bitter + sweet + ness

The noun is a regular nominalization of the adjective 'bittersweet' by adding '-ness', and the adjective's meaning transparently combines 'bitter' + 'sweet'.

Etymology

The word bittersweetness comes from the simple words bitter and sweet, where bitter means 'sharp or unpleasant taste' and sweet means 'pleasant taste'. Think of a taste that is both 'bitter' and 'sweet' at once, so bittersweetness describes a feeling that is both pleasant and sad.