sour 1 of 2

verb

Definition of sournext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sour

2 of 2

adjective

ˈsau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce sour (audio)
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

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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

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

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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
It’s well documented that a souring relationship can increase your chances of anxiety, eating disorders, and emotional issues. — Georgia Casey, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026 Views of Canada in particular have soured amid a trade war between the two countries. — Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Adjective
But what was supposed to be Yung Miami’s sweet mainstream moment has left a sour aftertaste. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026 Things turned sour between neighbors in February 2025 when the city of Willow Park annexed 321 acres near Interstate 20 and FM 1187 west of Fort Worth. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sour
  1. anger
  2. acidic
  3. unpleasant
  4. unacceptable
  5. infuriate
  6. acid
  7. bitter
  8. wrong
Verb
  • Soon, other aggrieved groups—farmers, trade unionists, climate activists, yellow-vest protesters angered by rising costs—joined in, and the demonstrations that followed quickly became some of France’s most widespread and explosive since 1968.
    — Maurice Samuels, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Employers understandably worry that narrowing health benefits will anger workers.
    — Tony Lo Sasso, STAT, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of anger
Adjective
  • With blistering satirical slants and a steady mix of acidic jabs at middle-class life, Darko should be boffo among the teen and young adults segment as well as those viewers still plugged into a sophomoric self-identity.
    — Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Rice vinegar is acidic and tart, with little natural sweetness.
    — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of acidic
Adjective
  • Other research suggests trypophobic people find hole clusters as unpleasant as pictures of skin disease and that people with a history of skin problems may find hole clusters particularly uncomfortable to look at.
    — Gabriela Galvin, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
  • That is followed by one focused on exploring conventional notions of beauty by uncovering the unexpected draw of unpleasant scents with Naïla Hamayed, Givaudan’s fragrance evaluator.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • These efforts should be lauded because lawyering solely to please Trump without an iota of reasonableness according to prescribed rules of law to which all lawyers must adhered is simply unacceptable.
    — Miles J. Zaremski, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
  • But critics, like the Civic Federation, are denouncing the budget plan, calling it an unacceptable abdication of responsibility to meet the fiscal realities facing the city.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Verb
  • The lack of action has infuriated abuse survivors and their advocates.
    — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Life was crazy and the entertainment business was weird and journalism was infuriating.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of infuriate
Adjective
  • They are accompanied by their keeper, a man with dwarfism, quite probably an acid joke at his expense.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Whatever your pleasure, there’s no wrong way to take an acid trip.
    — Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of acid
Adjective
  • The classmate, Joleene Altum, sued Griffin for emotional distress and invasion of privacy, and Griffin countersued for defamation in a bitter, ongoing legal battle.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The episode was a bitter lesson for the group, resulting in resentment and division.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitter
Adjective
  • The first step is to ask the lender to reconsider the value if the appraisal overlooked a recent sale or got the details wrong.
    — Gary Singer, Sun Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Schubarth said that statements from prosecutors that he was motivated to create a hybrid ram with giant horns in order to upsell to commercial shooting operations are wrong.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of wrong

Phrases Containing sour

Browse Nearby Words

soupy
sour
source
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Cite this Entry

“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sour. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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