sour 1 of 2

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
Bush’s disastrous campaign to democratize the Middle East soured the American public on such policies, which in turn allowed Trump to position himself as an opponent of democracy promotion and foreign assistance more broadly. Omar G. Encarnación, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2025 The couple married young, but the relationship soon soured. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Interestingly, that coat became harder to find in the museum after Mourinho left Chelsea a second time and everything between him and the club started to turn sour. Stuart James, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 Without Roddy occupying so much screen time, perhaps the events so far would leave too sour a taste. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sour
Verb
  • And nothing angers the Survivor gods more than reality TV hubris.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Comments the host made after the murder of right wing activist and influencer Charlie Kirk angered MAGA supporters and saw the nation’s largest station group, Nexstar – which has its own mega merger up for review at the FCC – preempt the late night staple.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • One way is when iron-rich rock is exposed to high temperatures and acidic conditions, but neither are evident in the area around Cheyava Falls.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • That occurs when the body runs out of insulin and starts burning fat for fuel, which can lead the blood to become dangerously acidic.
    Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But the ever-reliable consumer is beginning to look shaky, courtesy of an unpleasant mix of a stagnating job market and sticky inflation.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The power is accompanied by a loud, unpleasant exhaust note.
    James Raia, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Violence anywhere, especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable.
    James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Other Republicans — especially in the House — see it as an unacceptable expansion of President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, which Republicans have tried to eliminate or cut back since it was enacted 15 years ago.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • The film follows a ragtag group of actors (played by Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, among other stars) from an ‘80s sci-fi series who aliens unexpectedly abduct during a convention appearance.
    Matt Juul, BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2023
Adjective
  • Drinking coffee may stimulate an increase in acid production in the stomach.
    Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 6 Sep. 2025
  • This touchscreen pod machine has a lot to offer, including rich, balanced, coffee; a whopping eight brewing sizes; one-touch presets for low-acid, Americano, iced coffee, and cold brew; plus customizable temperature control and brew strength.
    Mark Marino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Seventeen years is pretty old for a bourbon, but in this case the whiskey is not overtaken by bitter tannic oak notes.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 5 Oct. 2025
  • But the most bitter had to be crooner Eddie Fisher, her fourth husband, who suffered the public humiliation of leaving his wife Debbie Reynolds for her (as well as their daughter Carrie), then getting dumped for Burton.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • There’s something wrong with them right away.
    Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Mike McDaniel said Wright did nothing wrong, but Miami needed more bodies on defense and special teams.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sour. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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