pout

1 of 3

verb

pouted; pouting; pouts

intransitive verb

1
a
: to show displeasure by thrusting out the lips or wearing a sullen expression
a pouting child
Sure, you have sports figures misbehaving today. John McEnroe pouts and snarls and curses at tennis judges twice his age, on television …Roy Blount Jr.
b
: to push out or purse the lips in a sexually suggestive way
a pouting model
… appears in adverts surrounded by gorgeous, pouting blondes.The Economist
c
: to be moodily silent : sulk
If they invited her out, she declined the invitation. When they went out, she would be pouting when they came home.Susan Sheehan
2

transitive verb

: to cause to protrude
pouted her lips

pout

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a protrusion of the lips expressive of displeasure
2
pouts plural : a fit of pique

pout

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural pout or pouts
: any of several large-headed fishes (such as a bullhead or eelpout)

Examples of pout in a Sentence

Verb She pouted her lips and stared at him angrily. The boy didn't want to leave—he stomped his feet and pouted. The model pouted for the cameras. Her lips pouted, and she began to cry.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Williams and her eldest daughter also pouted to the camera in one photo, before a video displayed Olympia hiding behind a giant pillow. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 The BFFs matched in white tops in the photo as Peltz, 29, pouted with a red cup, and the Only Murders in the Building actress gave a gentle smile. Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 13 Feb. 2024 Utterly taken aback that the slave she's tortured could be so rude to her (shocking!), Renna storms out, pouting. Alex Raiman, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2023 As the rapper made a shocked face, McAdams pouted, and Rapp smiled at the camera. Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 22 Jan. 2024 Underneath the pouting black-and-white picture, the pair replaced the names of the pop stars with their own and added the logo of their beloved Wrexham soccer club in the corner of the snap. Clare Fisher, Peoplemag, 19 Dec. 2023 Continue reading here ———— From Bill Plaschke: So James Harden whined and insulted and pouted and basically quit his way from Philadelphia to the Clippers. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023 Barker then planted a kiss on the figure in the second snap, before pouting his lips and covering his face in the third and fourth pictures. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 23 Oct. 2023 In the photo, Kim — who turned 43 on Saturday — pouted while the sisters had their arms around each other and mom, Kris Jenner. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 23 Oct. 2023
Noun
Castor seed oil and vitamin E provide moisture and lasting comfort, while the Line-Refine Hydrating Complex visibly smooths fine lines for a younger looking pout. Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 After the cats respond by fleeing, Sheeran gives a slight pout. Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2024 However, our pouts were definitively fuller after use, and the small size makes this a breeze to toss in your purse for on-the-go touch ups. Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 7 Jan. 2024 Martha Stewart, meanwhile, re-created her iconic pool pout for her cover shoot. Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 12 Feb. 2024 On the boat, Maria keeps giggling nervously, while Sydney pouts. Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2024 Johnson wore shades of plum and taupe to give her eyes a smolder, plus The Lip Definer in #2 for an effortlessly neutral pout. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2024 Formulated with a blend of brown sugar, shea butter, and jojoba oil, this lip scrub gently sloughs away dead skin while also nourishing and softening the pout. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 4 Feb. 2024 In the film, Truman merely brandishes the handkerchief, looking at Oppenheimer with a mocking pout. Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English

Noun (2)

probably from Middle English *poute, a fish with a large head, from Old English -pūte; akin to Middle English pouten to pout

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1591, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pout was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pout

Cite this Entry

“Pout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pout. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pout

1 of 2 verb
1
: to show displeasure by pushing out the lips
2

pout

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act of pouting
2
plural : a state of bad humor

More from Merriam-Webster on pout

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