variants
also dowse
1
as in to extinguish
to cause to cease burning
douse the campfire before leaving in the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to drown
to make wet
the heavy rains thoroughly doused the tourists strolling the town streets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to remove
to rid oneself of (a garment)
in those days a gentleman would douse his hat when going indoors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
British
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
those soccer hooligans need a sound douse or two from a police officer's club
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of douse
Jed Portman, Midwest Living, 15 May 2026
The previous owners must have doused the property with chemicals, and as summer wheezed toward its smoky end, my lawn became less suburban ideal and more of a pop quiz in weed identification.
—Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026
Leslie Jamison, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
The fire, named the Airport fire by South Metro, saw minimal growth overnight as crews worked to douse hotspots and protect the containment lines, the agency said in a Monday update.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for douse
Verb
Scoop the melty mixture into a soft roll, then douse it all with fresh herb sauce.
—Jed Portman, Midwest Living, 15 May 2026
The previous owners must have doused the property with chemicals, and as summer wheezed toward its smoky end, my lawn became less suburban ideal and more of a pop quiz in weed identification.
—Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026
Noun
Then came two sons calling about an alcoholic father who drank to douse the stress of his perfectionism.
—Leslie Jamison, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
The fire, named the Airport fire by South Metro, saw minimal growth overnight as crews worked to douse hotspots and protect the containment lines, the agency said in a Monday update.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for douse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for douse
Verb
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More than two months after the Eaton and Palisades fires were extinguished, researchers from UCLA and UC Davis detected elevated levels of hexavalent chromium — a potent carcinogen — in the burn areas, the paper in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment says.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Police said the collision ignited a small grass fire, which was quickly extinguished by the Morgan Hill Fire Department.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Verb
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This is the third report of a water rescue operation along the Front Range this week in which a child fell into the water or was swept away and drowned.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
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Three-year-old Riley Fox was found drowned and half-naked in a Wilmington creek.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
Verb
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For North American observers on the evening of May 30, the Blue Moon rises in the east as the sun dips below the horizon, with Antares glowing roughly 3 degrees to the lower left of Earth's satellite — less than the width of your three middle fingers held at arm's length against the night sky.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
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Once the ride began, Ferrell pulled the nuggets out of his pants and even called for his camera man to give him some sauce to dip the nuggets into.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Escalante Sandoval then approached the parked van, removed a key concealed in the gas cap and backed it up, allowing a group of people to move three deep freezers from the van into the bed of the truck and load them with packages.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
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Nothing has been touched since the artist’s death in 2009 except for dust removed by a neighbor and caretaker.—
Erika Landström,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Noun
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At that pace, even a tiny micrometeoroid has the ability to impart a significant kinetic blow upon striking a spacecraft en route to the moon, with potentially disastrous results for the astronaut crew inside.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
7 June 2026
-
Sánchez had the big blow with a two-run shot.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Aerate and immediately water lawns that are compacted, hard to wet or have nematode problems.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2026
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Water slowly and deeply to thoroughly wet the root zone.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
Verb
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In this collection of articles, prepare to immerse yourself in the profound tapestry of Indigenous culture, witness the spellbinding performances that grace Edmonton's Fringe Festival, and maybe even stumble upon a fossil or two.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Astronauts on the International Space Station are usually immersed in groundbreaking science experiments or witnessing breathtaking cosmic sights – not showcasing their skills in the culinary arts.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Burke, a Dodgers teammate, had provided the setup for the pioneering hand slap, a spontaneous response to a homer that Baker hit in 1977.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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Will Smith won his only Best Actor Oscar in the title role, leading to his infamous onstage slap of Chris Rock during the 2022 ceremony.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Douse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/douse. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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