Definition of SOUL MATE

Soul Mate and Poetry

The earliest known use of soul mate is found in an 1822 letter from English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge to "a Young Lady" in which he writes, "To be happy in Marriage Life, nay … in order not to be miserable, you must have a Soul-mate as well as a House or a Yoke-mate…." The word yokemate is used to refer to someone who is figuratively yoked to another, such as a close associate or companion, or, as Coleridge uses the word, a spouse. Coleridge's advice to the recipient of his letter, then, is that she should not simply settle for a husband, but rather for a person whose character and sensibilities are of a nature suitable to her own. Soul mate is now often used by English speakers to describe those with whom our bonds of affection are marked by a strong sense of like-mindedness and intertwined affinities.

Examples of soul mate in a Sentence

a husband and wife who are perfect soul mates They are ideological soul mates.

Recent Examples on the Web

Once Trump became president, McConnell and McGahn — allies who abhor campaign finance limits and have sought to dismantle Washington’s regulatory framework — formed an early partnership to place ideological soul mates on the bench. — Joan Biskupic, Washington Post, "The partisan players transforming the Supreme Court," 21 June 2019 Photo: Signature Portraits Want to meet your soul mate? — Elizabeth Bernstein, WSJ, "Can a Dating Coach Help You Find Your Soul Mate?," 10 Dec. 2018 This season finds Murdock bouncing back following The Defenders’ climactic cave-in, which seemingly doomed him and his on-again, off-again, sociopath soul mate Elektra. — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "Daredevil season 3 is a return to what made the show so good in season 1," 15 Oct. 2018 But without question Weisweiller’s most important acquaintance—in many respects her soul mate—was Jean Cocteau. — James Mcauley, Town & Country, "The Tragic, Fascinating History of Santo Sospir," 13 Aug. 2018 Ten eligible women selected by a blue-ribbon panel of matchmakers vie for a chance at love with a mystery gentleman in search of his soul mate. — Hal Boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "'America's Got Talent' has Orlando hopeful; 'Proposal,' 'Yellowstone' debut," 17 June 2018 That [was in the] incredibly emotional sequence of Elizabeth and her soul mate Gregory choosing to die -- whether to be taken in or taken away from his country. — Mike Ayers, Billboard, "'The Americans' Showrunners Pick the Series' 8 Best Musical Moments," 30 May 2018 Above, 15 hair soul mates whose lengths have withstood the test of time. — Mackenzie Wagoner, Vogue, "15 Couples Who Cemented Their Soulmate Status With Twinning Haircuts," 4 July 2018 In the hereafter, Michael sets up narrative threads, matches soul mates together, and tries to make sure everyone is happy eternally. — Noah Berlatsky, Washington Post, "TV is showing us the dark side of playing God," 5 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'soul mate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.