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
3
a
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
1
a
: something sour
… they assimilated many Anglo-American sweet pickles and began adding more sugar to their sours.—
William Woys Weaver
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
soured; souring; sours
: to become sour
: to make sour
Synonyms
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 WebLucia Kassai, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2024
This colorful drink is made with anejo (an aged tequila), orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and fresh mint leaves for a cocktail that's sweet and a little bit sour.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2024
For the creative class to point fingers at the large, breasty gentlemen adrift in tortilla-chip-laden pools of water is to gather a sour harvest of low-hanging fruit.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
Green Roads Relax Bears has a flavor assortment in each package, with blue raspberry, lemon, cherry, green apple, and orange, all a combination of sweet and sour.
—Dr. Diana Rangaves, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The company's relationship with Richmond turned sour rather abruptly in 2012.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 28 Mar. 2024
But the agreement might strike a sour note among taxpayers, who have gotten used to an unreliable Avanti service marred by delays.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 25 Mar. 2024
Depending on whom Russia officially decides to blame for the calamity, the terrorist attack may further sour relations with the U.S.
—Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Mar. 2024
Spoiled egg salad will smell sour or have a sulfurous odor like rotten eggs.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2024
Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, mixologist Remy Savage has crafted a cocktail menu that feels like Marais meets Midtown: think Manhattan with a twist of Pernod, or an Upside-Down New York sour with orgeat.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2024
This brewery prides itself on developing a unique variety of beers including IPAs, farmhouse ales and sours.
—Katie Toussaint, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Why Modi’s economy offers a real alternative to China
India is also widely seen as an alternative to China for countries and companies looking to diversify their supply chains, particularly as the relationship between Washington and Beijing sours.
—Diksha Madhok, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024
Look for a special menu of six pisco sours, including bicoastal versions created by Natasha Bermudez of New York’s Llama Inn and Kevin Diedrich of San Francisco’s Pacific Cocktail Haven just for this event, and one with blood orange and cinnamon.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2024
Particularly in later episodes, when the dynamic between Malcolm X and his mentor sours and the civil rights leader eventually steps down from the Nation of Islam amid nasty accusations, Jones shows a treacherous side which audiences haven’t seen from him before.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024
Its earliest brews in the works include a peach sour, a tropical double IPA and a stout.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2024
World & Nation Palestinians struggle as a brutal war sours business.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023
Zack Sharf, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
But Americans’ attitudes towards the economy have soured and lower-income consumers have pulled back their spending, painting a mixed picture of the economy’s health.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
But as the country’s post-millennial mood has soured its politics have turned increasingly toxic for Presidents seeking reëlection.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
But things soured, again, soon after that, with Fuller making unfounded accusations in court about safety issues in Timmons’ home and about her mental health.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
In recent days, Mayor Steven Meiner and other city officials have declared this spring break season a success, marked by smaller crowds and the absence of high-profile shootings, stampedes or police violence that had soured the city’s reputation during March in recent years.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
Over recent weeks, as relations between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Biden have soured, the president has labored to draw a distinction between Israel and its current political leader.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024
Many have predicted that its abolition will drive up customer checks, sour them on eating out and force many places to close.
—Priya Krishna, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
After the relationship soured, he was evicted from the embassy in April 2019 and British police immediately arrested him for breaching bail in 2012.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 26 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Mars Blend, a medium-density sour crude from the US Gulf Coast, has in recent days risen to a multi-year premium over lighter West Texas Intermediate, the national benchmark.
—Lucia Kassai, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2024
This colorful drink is made with anejo (an aged tequila), orange liqueur, sweet vermouth, and fresh mint leaves for a cocktail that's sweet and a little bit sour.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2024
For the creative class to point fingers at the large, breasty gentlemen adrift in tortilla-chip-laden pools of water is to gather a sour harvest of low-hanging fruit.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
Green Roads Relax Bears has a flavor assortment in each package, with blue raspberry, lemon, cherry, green apple, and orange, all a combination of sweet and sour.
—Dr. Diana Rangaves, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
The company's relationship with Richmond turned sour rather abruptly in 2012.
—David Folkenflik, NPR, 28 Mar. 2024
But the agreement might strike a sour note among taxpayers, who have gotten used to an unreliable Avanti service marred by delays.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 25 Mar. 2024
Depending on whom Russia officially decides to blame for the calamity, the terrorist attack may further sour relations with the U.S.
—Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Mar. 2024
Spoiled egg salad will smell sour or have a sulfurous odor like rotten eggs.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2024
Noun
Thanks to the Bay Area’s Irish history, there’s no shortage of pubs where Guinness and Smithwick’s mingle with IPAs and sours, and where millennial newcomers grab a bar stool next to longtime locals.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024
Meanwhile, mixologist Remy Savage has crafted a cocktail menu that feels like Marais meets Midtown: think Manhattan with a twist of Pernod, or an Upside-Down New York sour with orgeat.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2024
This brewery prides itself on developing a unique variety of beers including IPAs, farmhouse ales and sours.
—Katie Toussaint, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Why Modi’s economy offers a real alternative to China
India is also widely seen as an alternative to China for countries and companies looking to diversify their supply chains, particularly as the relationship between Washington and Beijing sours.
—Diksha Madhok, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024
Look for a special menu of six pisco sours, including bicoastal versions created by Natasha Bermudez of New York’s Llama Inn and Kevin Diedrich of San Francisco’s Pacific Cocktail Haven just for this event, and one with blood orange and cinnamon.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 25 Jan. 2024
Particularly in later episodes, when the dynamic between Malcolm X and his mentor sours and the civil rights leader eventually steps down from the Nation of Islam amid nasty accusations, Jones shows a treacherous side which audiences haven’t seen from him before.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024
Its earliest brews in the works include a peach sour, a tropical double IPA and a stout.
—Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2024
World & Nation Palestinians struggle as a brutal war sours business.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023
Verb
Gibson’s antisemitic remarks soured his career in Hollywood.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
But Americans’ attitudes towards the economy have soured and lower-income consumers have pulled back their spending, painting a mixed picture of the economy’s health.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
But as the country’s post-millennial mood has soured its politics have turned increasingly toxic for Presidents seeking reëlection.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024
But things soured, again, soon after that, with Fuller making unfounded accusations in court about safety issues in Timmons’ home and about her mental health.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
In recent days, Mayor Steven Meiner and other city officials have declared this spring break season a success, marked by smaller crowds and the absence of high-profile shootings, stampedes or police violence that had soured the city’s reputation during March in recent years.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2024
Over recent weeks, as relations between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Biden have soured, the president has labored to draw a distinction between Israel and its current political leader.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024
Many have predicted that its abolition will drive up customer checks, sour them on eating out and force many places to close.
—Priya Krishna, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
After the relationship soured, he was evicted from the embassy in April 2019 and British police immediately arrested him for breaching bail in 2012.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 26 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sour.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sour
Cite this Entry
“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sour. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sour
1 of 3 adjective1
: 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 noun1
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
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