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

Depending on the host, sap may ooze from these areas, and black fungal sporulation (pycnidia) may be visible. — Emily Leahy, Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2026

Meanwhile, at the other end of the tunnel, Ruff reached a gloved hand into several inches of underwater microbial ooze. — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026

Verb

Ojomo oozed upside as a seventh-round pick in 2023 who entered the building as a 21-year-old fifth-year senior after enrolling at Texas at age 16. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Take Shelton for example, the former four-star recruit is oozing with talent and many around the program are bullish on his upside. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 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