1
: being, inducing, or marked by the one of the five basic taste sensations that is produced chiefly by acids and is characteristic of lemon juice
sour pickles
compare bitter entry 1 sense 1a, salty entry 1 sense 1b, sweet entry 1 sense 1, umami entry 2
2
a(1)
: having the acid taste or smell of or as if of fermentation : turned
sour milk
(2)
: of or relating to fermentation
b
: smelling or tasting of decay : rancid, rotten
sour breath
c(1)
: bad, wrong
a project gone sour
(2)
: hostile, disenchanted
went sour on Marxism
3
b
c
: not up to the usual, expected, or standard quality or pitch
4
: acid in reaction
used especially of soil
5
: containing malodorous sulfur compounds
used especially of petroleum products
sourish adjective
sourly adverb
sourness noun

sour

2 of 3

noun

1
a
: something sour
… they assimilated many Anglo-American sweet pickles and began adding more sugar to their sours.William Woys Weaver
b
: the taste sensation produced chiefly by acids compare bitter entry 2 sense 1b, salty entry 2, sweet entry 3 sense 2, umami entry 1
2
: a cocktail consisting of a liquor (such as whiskey), lemon or lime juice, sugar, and sometimes ice

sour

3 of 3

verb

soured; souring; sours

intransitive verb

: to become sour

transitive verb

: to make sour

Examples of sour in a Sentence

Adjective The milk had turned sour. He made a sour face. Verb Her disposition has soured in recent years. Jealousy has soured their relationship. His experiences have soured him. The team's victory was soured by an injury to one of their best players.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Hibiscus tea, also called roselle or sour tea, is a tart drink made from the flowers of Hibiscus sabdariffa, a tropical plant native to Asia and Africa.25 It can be enjoyed warm or cold. Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 9 July 2025 For this experience, a buffet consisting of traditional Maldivian breakfast fixings await on a table outside, and may include sweet and sour fish (rihaakuru) and chili chicken. Jeanine Barone, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Noun
Anyone who is interested in IPAs and sours should make a trip to Hudson Valley Brewery. Erik Ofgang, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 Still, its low room rates, lunches and rum sours continued to inspire a new generation of writers and foreign correspondents searching for news, as the hotel served as a repository for the latest political gossip and intrigue. Miami Herald, 7 July 2025
Verb
In the following years, the relationship between Musk and Altman soured, with Musk departing in 2018 after reportedly trying to take over leadership of the company, which failed. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 July 2025 Those internal discussions have soured some of the morale on the foundation models team, also known as AFM, in recent weeks. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sour

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English sūr; akin to Old High German sūr sour, Lithuanian sūrus salty

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of sour was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sour. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

sour

1 of 3 adjective
1
: having or being an acid or tart taste that is one of the four taste sensations compare bitter sense 1, salt entry 3 sense 1b, sweet entry 1 sense 1b
2
a
: having become acid through spoiling
sour milk
b
: indicating decay : putrid
a sour odor
3
: unpleasant, disagreeable
a sour look
played a sour note
4
: acid in reaction
sour soil
sourly adverb
sourness noun

sour

2 of 3 noun
1
a
: something sour
b
: the basic taste sensation produced by acid stimuli
2
: a cocktail made with liquor, lemon or lime juice, sugar, and sometimes soda water

sour

3 of 3 verb
: to become or make sour

Medical Definition

sour

1 of 2 adjective
: causing, characterized by, or being the one of the four basic taste sensations that is produced chiefly by acids compare bitter, salt entry 2 sense 2, sweet entry 1
sourness noun

sour

2 of 2 noun
: the primary taste sensation produced by acid stimuli

More from Merriam-Webster on sour

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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