sweeten the pot

verb

To increase a wager.

“He sweetened the pot since there were no takers in the office pool.”

Similar
up the anteraise the stakes
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Meanings

verbsweeten the pot (third-person singular simple present sweetens the pot, present participle sweetening the pot, simple past and past participle sweetened the pot)

present singular third person sweetens the pot · participle present sweetening the pot · participle past sweetened the pot · past sweetened the pot

  1. idiomaticTo increase a wager.

    He sweetened the pot since there were no takers in the office pool.

    Synonyms: up the ante, raise the stakes

  2. idiomaticTo make something more desirable.

    Beginning next year the museum will sweeten the pot for season pass members by offering them a 10% discount in the gift shop in addition to unlimited free admission.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo increase a wager.

Similar
up the anteraise the stakes
Also see
raise the stakessugarcoat the pillup the ante
Cite this entry
APA

sweeten the pot. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sweeten%20the%20pot

MLA

“sweeten the pot.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sweeten%20the%20pot. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sweeten the pot,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sweeten%20the%20pot.

Source: sweeten the pot on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.