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
Respondents’ views of their present situation improved, but their short-term outlook soured. Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 For a variety of reasons, sentiment around the AI buildout beneficiaries has started to sour. Zev Fima, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The same night turned sour when Butker doinked an extra point pushed back to 43 yards by a penalty and later pushed a 43-yard field goal wide right, back-to-back misses that swung the game to the Buccaneers. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 1 Sep. 2026 The result is an excellent rum to use in a classic Daiquiri, with fresh tropical fruit and oaky barrel notes that work well with the drink’s sugary sweetness and sour lime. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sour
Verb
  • But Trump’s solution, to import 300,000 metric tons of beef and sell it at a reduced cost, angered American ranchers.
    Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Rebecca regrets angering Matthijs (Matteo van der Grijn) after putting his daughter in the middle of a heated discussion around the possibility of Matthijs moving to London.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Opt for rich, sandy, loam soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH level.
    Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In the book’s first movements, our plucky, brilliant guide through the world of Black mega-church runs on acidic observations, wit, and drolly spouted trivia.
    Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Self-interrogation, of course, is often unpleasant and is not a prescription that is likely to sell many books.
    Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • There was a lot of work on the medical cases to make the investigations complex and realistic, but there was also an entry point built around a strong, funny, unpleasant character, completely at odds with her return to her roots.
    Roberto Prieto, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Immigrant and human-rights advocates called the situation unacceptable, particularly given the dangers facing returning Haitians, including gang killings and surging kidnappings.
    Gérard Maxineau, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
  • That’s an unacceptable delay for units in active combat operations.
    Nir Goldstein, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Sydney Sweeney is no stranger to starring in a controversial ad — and her latest effort has infuriated female athletes, including Olympians.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
  • But Marcia was beginning to sound like Marcia on the page, Marcia in those essays that both excited and infuriated her readers.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The idea that these two would have a five-minute-or-less breakup conversation, then plop down on the couch and happily embark on an acid trip together, strains credulity a little, even for this bizarre, codependent friend group.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In a sequencer that resembled a large fridge, millions of short nucleic-acid fragments would be identified in the span of ten hours.
    Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • After years of upheaval in Florida State athletics—including a then-unprecedented flirtation with private equity and a bitter legal fight with the Atlantic Coast Conference—the school has parted ways with athletic director Michael Alford.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Of course, Kiffin left, a bitter and acrimonious separation that played out over 14 agonizing days, just as the Rebels prepped for their first College Football Playoff game in history.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • But asking whether the problem is useful is the wrong question, Verhoeff argues.
    Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2026
  • That opening stunk, what was wrong with the traditional start of the show?
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sour. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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