sweet talk
3
4.3
- noun
- /swit tɔk/
- Informal
:
palabrería dulce
- But it was too late for sweet talk.
Examples
-
I like your sweet talk.
-
Any woman would fall into your arms with sweet talk like that.
Fiction book (2000) -
Lead me on with your sweet talk, then dump me?
Fiction book (1999) -
Oh, how you tease me with your sweet talk.
-
l'm immune to the sweet talk!
-
Do not listen to his sweet talk; it’s just flattery to get what he wants.
-
With her charming sweet talk, she managed to convince everyone to join her plan.
-
He tried to charm the audience with his sweet talk, but they remained skeptical.
Synonyms
5
4.4
Gentle persuasion using praise or kind words to get someone to do something
3
8.7
Talk that flatters to gain favor or advantage
2
8.8
A lot of talk that sounds important but says nothing
2
9.8
A friendly compliment meant to persuade someone to do something
1
7.8
Getting someone to do something by saying nice things and asking again and again
1
9.7
Praise that is too much and not sincere to make someone like you
1
7.6
Insincere praise used to try to influence someone
1
7.2
Smooth, pleasant speech that tries to trick people
1
9.2
Too much praise that tries to make people like you
1
8.4
Gentle praise and kind words used to get someone to do something
1
3.9
To convince someone with kind words or calm actions
A way of speaking that is too friendly and seems not sincere
Smooth talk used to convince people, often by salespeople
Antonyms
How Flattering
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is a straightforward adjective + noun: 'sweet' (pleasant, charming) modifies 'talk', so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to pleasant or flattering speech. While the subtle connotation of insincerity or persuasion may be reinforced by context, the core meaning 'flattering speech' is directly derivable from the constituents and follows a common compositional pattern.
Etymology
Sweet talk comes from the image of offering someone something sweet, like candy, while you talk, so your words feel like a treat. That's why it now means 'flattering or insincere speech used to persuade someone'.