as in to anger
to cause to change from friendly or loving to unfriendly or uncaring
a misunderstanding that soured their relationship for a long time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
you'll have to face up to the sour truth of the matter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2025
Public sentiment toward the broader economy has also soured.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Howard’s sweet personality, too, tended to go a bit sour at times.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sour
Verb
Milk soured quickly, and cooks often used sour milk or buttermilk in recipes, especially for baking breads and cakes.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2025
Public sentiment toward the broader economy has also soured.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
However, the relationship quickly turned sour when Sweeney became aggressive and physically abusive.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Howard’s sweet personality, too, tended to go a bit sour at times.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sour
Verb
-
That loss of sales has already angered many Midwestern soybean farmers, who see the administration’s Argentina outreach as benefiting a competitor while leaving American exporters disadvantaged.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The deal could improve America’s relationship with its chief economic adversary while angering key allies and its two biggest trading partners.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Swap apple cider vinegar for red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice for a different acidic punch.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
3 Nov. 2025
-
But in cheeses with a pH of 5 or lower (more acidic), no virus was found.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Its natural deodorizing properties help neutralize the unpleasant smells associated with pets, according to Stein.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
1 Nov. 2025
-
The 75-year-old ginkgo trees have been wafting the unpleasant smell into the air at the Northern California park, forcing residents to brave the stench that is comparable to vomit, The Sacramento Bee and SFGATE report.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Denying people the essentials necessary for their survival, to obtain compliance or a political agreement, should be unacceptable.—
Anna Halford,
Time,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Controversy arose earlier this year after residents, a council member and the mayor declared a cooling station set up for homeless residents and others without adequate heating and cooling as unacceptable.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On the other hand, this rebranding risks aliening White Castle's core customer groups.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Oct. 2025
-
In ever more apocalyptic language, Trump has sought to unify his MAGA movement with strongman pledges to defend Americans from millions of hostile foreigners seeking to storm the country and to root out enemy aliens within.—
Julia Preston,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
The idea of dissolving the self in an acid bath of erotic imagery was not, in the end, so unappealing.—
Daniel Kolitz,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Avoid an acid overload of tart and tangy (pickles and citrus), a bold flavor competition, sweet and funky flavors colliding (fruity jams and aged cheeses), and a clash of spicy meats and cheeses with delicate fruits and accompaniments.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That clash of emotions — celebration of a dream season and commiseration over its bitter conclusion — sat on the central clubhouse table.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
-
To come to its conclusion, the team had 48 participants sample an array of tomato juices with different flavor profiles, including sweet, salty, and bitter options.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
While most plot details remain under wraps, The Hollywood Reporter previously revealed that one plot point centers on the son of Stiller and Polo’s characters, who gets engaged to a ball-busting woman who seems all wrong for him.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The right kiss will save them, but the wrong one will kill them.—
Brittany Johnson,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sour. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share