as in removing
to rid oneself of (a garment)
in those days a gentleman would douse his hat when going indoors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also dowsing
1
as in extinguishing
to cause to cease burning
douse the campfire before leaving in the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wetting
to make wet
the heavy rains thoroughly doused the tourists strolling the town streets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dipping
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
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 dousing
ABC News,
30 June 2026
Fire officials have also emphasized the importance of having hoses on hand, and dousing fireworks in a bucket of water after they’ve been used, even overnight, to prevent accidental reignition.
—
Sacbee.com,
28 June 2026
Firefighters have also isolated lithium-ion batteries and have hoselines dousing them.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Although crews made strong initial progress dousing the roof with water, the leak was then discovered inside the building, and several small explosions reinvigorated the flames and smoke.
—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
McGill was convicted of murder after dousing a couple in gasoline and lighting them on fire in 2002.
—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
After initially dousing the fire between the theater’s fourth and fifth floors, firefighters found additional pockets of flames between the fifth and eights floors, with the fire finally brought fully under control a little after noon, officials said.
—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
The clip sparked debate online, though additional footage suggested Jordan may have been brushing ice or liquid off the child following a celebratory dousing.
—
Ryan Brennan
april 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
The film was shot on location in Italy, dousing the viewer in a delicious moving pageantry of pasta and focaccia sandwiches.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
Video from the scene showed firefighters dousing the blaze with water as thick black smoke rose from the burning pipeline.
—
ABC News,
30 June 2026
Fire officials have also emphasized the importance of having hoses on hand, and dousing fireworks in a bucket of water after they’ve been used, even overnight, to prevent accidental reignition.
—
Sacbee.com,
28 June 2026
Firefighters have also isolated lithium-ion batteries and have hoselines dousing them.
—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Although crews made strong initial progress dousing the roof with water, the leak was then discovered inside the building, and several small explosions reinvigorated the flames and smoke.
—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
McGill was convicted of murder after dousing a couple in gasoline and lighting them on fire in 2002.
—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
After initially dousing the fire between the theater’s fourth and fifth floors, firefighters found additional pockets of flames between the fifth and eights floors, with the fire finally brought fully under control a little after noon, officials said.
—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
The clip sparked debate online, though additional footage suggested Jordan may have been brushing ice or liquid off the child following a celebratory dousing.
—
Ryan Brennan
april 22,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
The film was shot on location in Italy, dousing the viewer in a delicious moving pageantry of pasta and focaccia sandwiches.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dousing
Verb
-
Regular care prevents yellowing by removing oils and buildup that dull fabrics over time.
-
Bart Jansen Trump called the court removing restrictions on political spending a victory for Republicans and free speech.
Verb
-
The next phase of operations will focus on accessing and extinguishing remaining fire within more interior areas of the building.
-
Authorities cautioned that extinguishing the fire could take days or even weeks.
Verb
-
Joanna Shoulder received the beating as discipline for wetting her bed, according to a homicide detective’s account of his interview of the girl’s father described in an arrest warrant affidavit.
-
Considerations Before Getting Started Before cleaning your sidewalks, gather some basic safety equipment such as gloves and eye protection, and protect plants and grass bordering your sidewalk from bleach and cleaners by wetting them down and covering them with plastic sheeting or old towels.
Verb
-
Temperatures will have a tough time dipping below 80°, especially in Baltimore City.
-
The county has faced relatively small budget shortfalls in the last couple of years and is now dipping into its reserves to the tune of $95 million.
Verb
-
But water also carries the potential for danger, and parents who have lost a child to drowning are begging families to use caution.
-
Florida, which has one of the highest childhood drowning rates in the nation, expanded a voucher program this month that puts children ages 1-7 who have autism at the front of the line for subsidized swim lessons.
Verb
-
Earlier this month, the company brought students from over 40 countries to San Francisco to pitch their startup ideas for a chance to win $100,000 of equity-free funding from Red Bull Ventures and $25,000 in Microsoft Azure credits, while immersing themselves in Silicon Valley.
-
To soak your clothes prior to washing, fill a bucket or your bathtub with cool to warm water and add 1 cup of vinegar before immersing your clothes into the solution.
Verb
-
Some physicians recommend washing your mouth out after use by gargling and rinsing your mouth with water.
-
Or keep your blowout intact when doing your makeup or washing your face thanks to these adorable terry cloth headbands.
Verb
-
Xenophobia has enveloped South Africa for years, and now a rising tide of anti-migrant views is flooding the country.
-
Harold remembers crowds flooding in the day the doors opened.
Cite this Entry
“Dousing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dousing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
