sour 1 of 2

Definition of sournext
1
as in acidic
causing or characterized by the one of the four basic taste sensations that is produced chiefly by acids the sour candy made our mouths all wrinkly inside

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard things started off well, but now it's all gone sour

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sour
Verb
Kiffin knows that, in Oxford and everywhere else, the love of fans and donors can sour in a hurry. Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026 The local election result will not affect the composition of parliament in Westminster or change who is in government, but reflects souring sentiment on Starmer's leadership among the electorate. Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 9 May 2026
Adjective
The Mucho Smoocho Sips included the Tipsy Cupid drink, which had vodka, orange liqueur, strawberry flavors and lemon sour. Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026 Even in the latter part of his career, at the weekly newspaper New York Observer, his writings lost none of their sting, and indeed often seemed like an unappetizing leftover from an era when sour personal swipes were more tolerated. Greg Evans, Deadline, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sour
Verb
  • Starmer also has angered supporters with attempts to cut welfare spending, some of which were reversed after Labour revolts.
    CBS News, CBS News, 9 May 2026
  • Buyers were angered after finding out that the new features would be released later than expected, the filing said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • Most varieties prefer full sun to partial shade and rich, slightly acidic soil that drains well.
    Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
  • Rex Reed, a critic and journalist known for his brash, often acidic takes on films and filmmakers, died Tuesday at his Manhattan home.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 12 May 2026
Adjective
  • Place a bowl of coffee grounds in the offending area (or, in the case of your shoes, place dry grounds in an old sock or cloth tied up and leave overnight inside the shoe) and let the grounds absorb unpleasant odors, says Rocky Vuong, founder of Calibre Cleaning Unlimited.
    Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
  • Years later, the teenaged Daughter lets in a woman from the outside, which causes chaos in their relationship and reveals some unpleasant secrets.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • For a city in the grip of a housing crisis, that delay was unacceptable.
    Michelle de la Uz, New York Daily News, 13 May 2026
  • Bans on unacceptable-risk AI have applied since February 2025, according to the European Commission.
    Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • Insults were par for the course at The Roast of Kevin Hart, but some jokes had more acid than others.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 May 2026
  • If choosing wines, focus on bright, higher-acid white wines that cut through the mouth-coating fattiness of cheese.
    Anna Lee Iijima, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Sara Duterte and President Marcos were running mates in a whirlwind alliance in the 2022 election but have since had a bitter falling out.
    Jim Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
  • Another defeat and the same bitter taste of Thunder second-half dominance.
    Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
Adjective
  • The challenge these proposals aim to address is real — but trying to hold back the tide is the wrong answer.
    Editorial, Boston Herald, 10 May 2026
  • In a 4-3 ruling, the court said the legislature followed the wrong process for putting the question, an amendment to the state constitution, on the ballot.
    Larry Kaplow, NPR, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • What was the song that infuriated the coach?
    Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
  • Still, even an unsuccessful appeal would let Democrats try to blame their failure on the conservative majority that dominates the nation's highest court, which has already infuriated the party and civil rights groups by neutering the Voting Rights Act.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sour. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on sour

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