dousing 1 of 2

present participle of douse

dousing

2 of 2

verb (2)

variants also dowsing
present participle of douse

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
Verb
Adebayo’s coaches and teammates celebrated the moment after Wednesday’s win in Atlanta by recognizing his accomplishment in their State Farm Arena locker room before dousing him with water. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026 The blaze was just under a square mile (2 square kilometers) and 5% contained Saturday, when firefighters were still dousing water on smoldering debris from a home that burned. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 The remnants of Hurricane Isaias will finally move out on Monday after dousing the Philadelphia region with soaking rain all day Sunday. — Grant Gilmore, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 According to the press release, Ortega had attempted to set it on fire, dousing the interior with gasoline and shooting at it. — Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 11 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 The action has a satisfying crunch, thanks in part due to Wingard’s delight in dousing his actors in buckets of fake blood. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2026 Black-and-white news footage shows volunteer firefighters swatting flames with tree branches and dousing flare-ups with flower-pot watering cans. — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 Toronto Blue Jays Celebration Sparks Unexpected Controversy The Blue Jays have developed a familiar tradition of dousing players with water after victories at Rogers Centre. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dousing
Verb
  • This may mean removing an abusive parent as their guardian and establishing another relative or foster parent in place of the parent.
    — Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Before the building is sold or used for secular purposes, church officials take great care when removing the religious items inside, said Jacob Preciado, director of asset management for the archdiocese.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Her passion for Pol is a flare, burning brightly and extinguishing quickly.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Chinese authorities have tightened their grip on the media, the legal profession, and civil society, limiting the space for Chinese citizens to discuss mounting social woes and extinguishing emerging calls for deeper political reform.
    — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • For best results, water deeply at the base of the plant, allowing moisture to soak into the root zone rather than wetting the foliage, says Kelly Funk, president and CEO of Jackson & Perkins.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Chronic absenteeism rates improved slightly across the district, dipping 1 percentage point to 39%.
    — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Consumers appear to be dipping into savings or relying on credit to fuel much of their consumption.
    — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Peterson was found guilty of drowning his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2012.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026
  • India’s courts are drowning in documents — and even recording witness testimony can create a bottleneck.
    — Zoë Schiffer, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Related Stories From football camp to visceral, harrowing sequences of war in the Pacific, the story takes audiences through it all, immersing them in the experience.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Bass did, riding her bicycle to campaign headquarters and immersing herself in the senator’s bid for the White House.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Someone else touched his face and a clean tong without washing hands between those two actions.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Add half a cup of borax, half a cup of laundry detergent, and half a cup of washing soda to the water.
    — Anyssa Roberts, The Spruce, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Early Monday morning, the Gila River crested more than 2 feet higher than the level capable of flooding several homes and businesses on the north sides of Solomon, Safford and Thatcher, Arizona, according to the National Weather Service.
    — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Benally said his parents, both in their 60s, have lived in the area all their lives and have never seen flooding this severe.
    — Christopher Weber, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dousing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dousing. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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