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.
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Recent Examples of sour
Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Incumbents lose for all sorts of reasons, and a four-month delay in 2024's bills, caused by a county computer overhaul his office did not run, soured plenty of voters too.
—Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
TikTok users daring themselves to try the spiciest or, sourest foods and broadcasting the results.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sour
Verb
After a betrayal drives them apart and sours their relationship, the best friends become estranged from each other.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Incumbents lose for all sorts of reasons, and a four-month delay in 2024's bills, caused by a county computer overhaul his office did not run, soured plenty of voters too.
—Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
Adjective
When the contracts continued to climb instead, those bearish bets quickly turned sour.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
TikTok users daring themselves to try the spiciest or, sourest foods and broadcasting the results.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sour
Verb
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But Schnur said the governor likely also has concerns about angering one of his biggest backers.—
Katie King,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
Meanwhile, Daemon, angered that his wife/niece is mad at him for orchestrating the brutal murder of a child, goes to the cursed castle of Harrenhal to claim it for their side — or perhaps to claim it for himself.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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This acidic environment enables enzymatic DNA growth.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 June 2026
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Light, medium, or dark roasts all work fine for espresso; just keep in mind that the lighter the roast, the more acidic the finished product.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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Fresh grass clippings are great for masking naturally unpleasant odors in the garden by simply using them to cover the offensive materials.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
21 June 2026
-
This could be an indication that the P-trap under the sink has dried out, which means water no longer blocks unpleasant smells from rising.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
Warsh called that unacceptable and kept saying so.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
-
This proposal is utterly unacceptable.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 June 2026
Verb
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In Chicago, these questions are interesting and infuriating because the Bulls have no say in the outcome.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
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The Iranians moved their training base from Arizona to Mexico, and the team has been required to leave Los Angeles right after both matches, infuriating Ghalenoei.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 June 2026
Adjective
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De la Espriella also represented some high-profile victims, including Natalia Ponce de León, who was the target of an acid attack in 2014, and Rosa Elvira Cely, whose murder in 2012 generated national outrage and led to the creation of Colombia’s femicide laws.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
1 June 2026
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New York — In New York’s Hudson Valley, the artist Anicka Yi has erected columns bursting with mercurial microbial life, in hues of acid green and coffee, arranged like an archaeological dig at Storm King Art Center.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Looking for a silver lining Some analysts fear that the friction over the 250th celebrations, especially the national ones, may end up reinforcing the nation's bitter divide rather than providing a respite from it.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
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This inverts the usual analysis of American politics, that our bitter culture wars will always resolve down to questions like affordability.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
Tom Kim dropped two shots at the wrong time and shot 72.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
Every traveler has a trip that went spectacularly wrong.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sour. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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