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

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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 No, the convolution of the weaving story and a principal character who is such a louse can be grating. — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 6 Oct. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for louse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for louse
  1. jerk
  2. dog
  3. clown
  4. skunk
  5. rat
Noun
  • Its patented HeadCatch Technology helps prevent the all-too-familiar nod, jerk and repeat cycle that makes sleeping upright such a challenge.
    — David Dickstein, Oc Register, 11 Nov. 2026
  • As Walter, Carman Lacivita has to be a pompous jerk for a lot of this play then must soften for scenes of genuine compassion and personal growth.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • The retail giant won a new trial in the case of a woman who had been awarded a nearly $1 million verdict after slipping and falling on a liquid in the dog food aisle of a store in Valdosta.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Ask to see the set that still remains—just watch out for the grumpy resident dog, who is best admired from afar.
    — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of dog
Noun
  • Two clowns in serious legal trouble colluded to put the entire planet in an economic crisis.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The procession will also welcome 52 floats, 31 clown crews, nine specialty units (such as trycaloons, or balloons ridden on tricycles), seven marching bands, and five balloonicles (that’s a balloon-vehicle hybrid).
    — Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • But there is also no mistaking the distinct black-and-white fur and bushy tails of skunks.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Officials say the last animal confirmed to have rabies that wasn’t a bat was a skunk infected with the bat strain of rabies in Long Beach in 2014.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of skunk
Noun
  • Jason Ervin, warned that by putting the money toward a second extra pension payment this year, aldermen will force themselves to later make cuts to libraries, violence intervention, tree-trimming and rat abatement.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • First, ensure trash bins are tightly sealed and stored a few feet away from your home, since open waste easily attracts mice or rats.
    — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 1 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about louse

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