ooze

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈüz 

1

: a soft deposit (as of mud, slime, or shells) on the bottom of a body of water

The turtle buried itself in the ooze.

2

: a piece of soft wet plastic ground : a marsh or bog that results from the flow of a spring, stream, or brooklet

ooze

2 of 3

verb

oozed; oozing

intransitive verb

1

: to pass or flow slowly through or as if through small openings or interstices

2

: to move slowly or imperceptibly

The crowd began to ooze forward …

—Bruce Marshall

3

a

: to exude moisture

The cut fruit was oozing with juice.

b

: to exude something often in a faintly repellent manner

ooze with sympathy

transitive verb

1

: to emit slowly

a tree oozing sap

2

: exude sense 2

ooze confidence

ooze

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

: a decoction of vegetable material used for tanning leather

2

: the act of oozing

3

: something that oozes

Synonyms of ooze

Noun (1)

• mud
• sludge

Verb

• drip
• exude
• seep
• flow
• percolate
• bleed
• weep

Examples of ooze in a Sentence

Noun (1)

our car tires sank deep in the ooze

Verb

Sap oozed from the tree.

Juice oozed out of the plum.

The cut on her finger was oozing with blood.

The tree was oozing sap.

The cut on her finger was oozing blood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Its strikingly unusual forms might have risen from the ooze of the adjacent La Brea Tar Pits. —Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026

The spa Directly below the palmento, a compact spa oozes, bubbles, and steams in true Etna fashion. —Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026

Verb

This year, Williams has been able to break through with some of the longer runs, his excitement oozing out of him on the field and in press conferences when discussing his evasion of a tackler, his cut and the blocks that allowed it. —Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026

Courtesy of a steady diet of driving-and-dishing, coupled with picturesque back door cuts, the Red Devils oozed confidence in the first eight minutes. —Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English wose, from Old English wāse mire; akin to Old Norse veisa stagnant water

Verb

Middle English wosen, from wose sap

Noun (2)

Middle English wose sap, juice, from Old English wōs; akin to Old High German waso damp

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ooze

• blues
• boos
• booze
• brews
• bruise
• chews
• choose
• chuse
• clews
• clues
• coups
• crews

Kids Definition

ooze

1 of 3 noun

ˈüz 

: soft mud or slime (as on the bottom of a lake)

ooze

2 of 3 verb

oozed; oozing

1

: to flow or leak slowly

sap oozed from the tree

2

: emit sense 1a

a manner that oozed confidence

ooze

3 of 3 noun

: something that oozes