louse

noun

ˈlau̇s How to pronounce louse (audio)
Definition of lousenext
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others I can't believe you're willing to spend time with that lying louse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 louse One of my favorites is the tongue louse, which usually comes in through the gills of the host fish (something like a red snapper), eats the tongue, and then takes its place. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2025 In reality, Rothstein was a louse, forever at odds with his Orthodox father, Abraham, and upright brother Harry. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025 The reason there is a difference between their number of vine and rootstock varieties is due to the subterranean phylloxera louse that wiped out huge swaths of the world’s grape vines during the mid 19th century. — Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 About 5,000 years ago, a bacterium that was primarily transmitted via ticks made a switch to louse. — Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 22 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for louse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for louse
  1. jerk
  2. dog
  3. clown
  4. skunk
  5. rat
Noun
  • Cayman’s restaurant culture is shaped by the more than 130 different nationalities found on the islands, from traditional jerk chicken joints to fine dining establishments.
    — Taylor McIntyre, Travel + Leisure, 28 July 2026
  • The desire to make fresh New York rap that isn’t indebted to drill, or chasing broader Gen-Z hip-hop trends such as jerk and rage rap, sometimes leads to experiments that don’t land anywhere.
    — Lei Takanashi, Pitchfork, 27 July 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • Both Shapiro and Graziano kept their original Instagram handles and changed the names to add their current dogs.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Seeing your pup happily playing in the backyard or snoozing on the couch can provide reassurance for you without creating confusion for your dog.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog
Noun
  • One morning during my stay, there were even clowns buzzing about—a thrill to receive a balloon poodle alongside my morning flat white.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026
  • This take on the mad clown of Gotham is less Jack Nicholson and George Romero, choosing a more stoic approach inspired by Conrad Veidt silent films and German expressionism.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • On Martha’s Vineyard, a low-lying fence with chicken wire is installed seasonally at the entrance of a key breeding site for oystercatchers and other seabirds and shorebirds, which has kept skunks and raccoons that eat their eggs off the beach.
    — Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
  • Very Rivian also means yeti graphics on its vehicles, and Easter eggs like a frog and skunk underneath the washer fluid cover up front.
    — Greg Migliore, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of skunk
Noun
  • More than a month after a massive fire swept through the warehouse, Lineage is still working to remove more than 85 million pounds of weeks-old food, which has brought rancid odors, flies and rats to the surrounding area.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • Getting into the habit of leaving dirty dishes in the sink provides pests such as German cockroaches, ants, mice, and rats with a constant food source.
    — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026
Definition of rat

Phrases Containing louse

Browse Nearby Words

lounging (around or about)
louse
loused up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Louse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/louse. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on louse

Nglish: Translation of louse for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about louse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of torpor

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All