Great Britain got off the mark last time out against Canada, and were looking likely to cause Sweden some problems when they went 2-0 up after the first end.
But Sweden showed exactly why they have been the form side in Cortina so far, hitting back with an accurate take-out from skip Anna Hasselborg to take three points in the second end.
Hasselborg then repeated the trick in the fourth, removing the British stone lying one without disturbing the other yellow stones and picking up another three to put Sweden 6-3 up after four ends.
Britain's Rebecca Morrison could only remove one Swedish stone from a packed house with the hammer in the fifth, leaving Sweden lying one, before the same occured in the next end, putting Sweden 8-3 to the good with four ends to play.
Team GB attempted something of a fightback with two points in the seventh, but when Hasselborg's draw to end the eighth had just enough power on it, Sweden were all but over the line.
Sweden made a change in the ninth, giving Johanna Heldin some time on the ice as Morrison took another two back, but no errors in the final end, in which Hasselborg cleared the house of two British stones with her last attempt, meant Sweden took a 10-8 win.
The Swedes stay clear atop the standings and will next face Switzerland on Monday as they edge closer to a place in the Semi-finals.