SOS

noun

ˌes-(ˌ)ō-ˈes 

1

: an internationally recognized signal of distress in radio code ‧ ‧ ‧ - - - ‧ ‧ ‧ used especially by ships calling for help

2

: a call or request for help or rescue

Examples of SOS in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rich Davis is the senior security adviser at International SOS, a risk-mitigation company. —Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 July 2025

Other climbers who saw the accident activated the SOS feature on a Garmin Satellite device to alert authorities, rescuers said. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2025

The rescue highlights the importance of carrying a satellite emergency device or a phone equipped with off-grid SOS functionality when adventuring solo in the backcountry. —Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 18 July 2025

Short n’ Sweet and SOS were the Nos. 3 and 4 most popular albums of the year in Luminate’s 2024 year-end report. —Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 16 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for SOS

• bless
• chess
• cress
• dress
• es
• ess
• esse
• fess
• guess
• jess
• less
• lesse

Kids Definition

SOS

noun

ˌes-(ˌ)ō-ˈes 

ˌes-ə-ˈwes

1

: an international radio code distress signal used by ships and aircraft calling for help

2

: a call for help

Medical Definition

SOS

abbreviation

if occasion require; if necessary

—used in writing prescriptions

Etymology

Latin si opus sit