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douse 1 of 3

verb (1)

variants also dowse
Definition of dousenext
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
3
as in to dip
to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid douse the grapes in water to remove any grit

Synonyms & Similar Words

douse

2 of 3

verb (2)

ˈdau̇s How to pronounce douse (audio)
as in to remove
to rid oneself of (a garment) in those days a gentleman would douse his hat when going indoors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

douse

3 of 3

noun

ˈdüs How to pronounce douse (audio)
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

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of douse
Verb
Flames and thick black smoke rose from the aircraft as rescue crews rushed in to douse it with fire retardant. — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026 Made by stuffing braised pork onto crusty bread and dousing the whole thing in a tomatobased sauce, tortas ahogadas are impossible to miss and impossible to eat politely. — Michael Snyder, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
For a sweeter option, the sourdough waffle also tasted textbook with a douse of maple syrup. — Restaurant Critic, Houston Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for douse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for douse
  1. extinguish
  2. drown
  3. dip
  4. remove
  5. blow
  6. wet
  7. immerse
  8. slap
Verb
  • The difference is that, like early insurance companies, CTS extinguishes only the fires it is paid, including by Tensor, to put out.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Crews continued mopping up the fire Monday, strengthening containment lines and extinguishing hot spots at least 300 feet inside the perimeter.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of extinguish
Verb
  • His daughter's husband, who drank heavily, toppled off his boat and drowned.
    — Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Parts of Orange County, still a vast agricultural Eden, were drowned.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of drown
Verb
  • About seven months ago, the average 30-year mortgage rate briefly dipped below 6% for the first time in years, prompting hopes that cheaper borrowing would finally unfreeze the housing market.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Apply the vinegar by spraying it directly onto the surface or by dipping a microfiber cloth into the solution, wringing it out, and wiping the appliance.
    — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of dip
Verb
  • While the complexities around working within a park that his ancestors had been removed from remain, Mgesi now supports much of his extended family with the steady wage.
    — Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Some of the building’s 22 existing murals could be removed as part of the changes, potentially including one depicting Don Quixote.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of remove
Noun
  • That blow came a little less than a year after the New York Times shook up its culture desk and reassigned its classical music critic, Zachary Woolfe, to serve as the obituaries editor.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The blow caused a minor skull fracture and a gash that required three stitches to close.
    — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of blow
Verb
  • Crumble up and wet a small piece, then gently rub it over spots and stains.
    — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Havenith said deliberately wetting clothing can provide evaporative cooling, including for older adults who may not sweat as effectively.
    — Aya Diab, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of wet
Verb
  • They’re already immersed in the conversations your audience has every day.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • During the war, Pavese immersed himself in Greek tragedy, as well as the anthropological writings of Frazer and Lévy-Bruhl, Freud on childhood and the narrative technique of dreams, and Jung on the archetypes of the collective unconscious.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of immerse
Noun
  • The baby Fins were back to Earth, sweet mirage yielding to the slap of reality.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Hundreds of those grants were later reinstated when a federal judge ruled that the slap-dash nature of the terminations violated the Administrative Procedures Act, which regulates how agencies are supposed to change policies.
    — Anil Oza, STAT, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of slap

Browse Nearby Words

dourness
douse
doused
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Douse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/douse. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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