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
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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
Ben Weiss, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2026
At first the race between the two was cordial, but as Election Day got closer – and more money and attention poured in – the contest between the two Democrats soured.
—Ashley Lopez, NPR, 3 Mar. 2026
Pol Ballús, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
However, if there are strong off or sour flavors, this is a sign of spoilage.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sour
Verb
That perception has soured some investors on credit card companies.
—Ben Weiss, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2026
At first the race between the two was cordial, but as Election Day got closer – and more money and attention poured in – the contest between the two Democrats soured.
—Ashley Lopez, NPR, 3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The only sour note was Ferran Torres again failing to find the net.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
However, if there are strong off or sour flavors, this is a sign of spoilage.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sour
Verb
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The two sat up front and refused to move, angering the driver, who stormed off at every stop, all through the night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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The policy coincided with hurricane season, and relief efforts in states such as Missouri, North Carolina, and California were delayed, angering the public and, in many cases, their Republican representatives.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Soil with a pH below 6 is considered acidic; anything above 7 is alkaline; 7 is neutral.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
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Some plants perform better in an acidic soil, others in an alkaline soil.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Trapped allergens can affect the air quality in your bedroom, triggering congestion, scalp itching and irritation, not to mention unpleasant odors.—
Kate Van Pelt,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
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So Miss Manners believes that your sister should apologize — not to her rude guest, but to the other guests, for having been subjected to such an unpleasant scene.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There have also been reports that some migrants are being held at the processing center longer than ICE policy allows, something Veasey called unacceptable.—
Marissa Armas,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
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Government actions have an important symbolic value and show that authorities deem violence against women unacceptable, said Isadora Vianna, a sociology researcher from Rio de Janeiro State University.—
Eléonore Hughes,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The movies of 2026 have got it all, from iconic Disney toys and Steven Spielberg aliens to Ghostface and Baby Yoda.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
7 Jan. 2026
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At the beginning of the book, aliens implant images of tool-using into the minds of man-apes.—
Larissa MacFarquhar,
New Yorker,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Fires caused by Israeli strikes on oil reservoirs on Saturday burned for multiple days, prompting Iranian officials to warn residents against acid and toxic rain that resulted from the significant amount of pollutants in the air.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
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An arrest has been made in an acid attack on a Long Island college student that happened nearly five years ago.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While the loss of Showmax was a bitter pill to swallow, there were calls throughout the week for more partnerships, more collaborations, more efforts to unlock cross-border revenue streams in everything from theatrical to free-to-air broadcasting to the booming diaspora market.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
9 Mar. 2026
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Eric Musselman sat behind a microphone at the bitter end of a bitter regular season for USC, armed only with the same explanations for how a once-hopeful season could come so undone.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The helpful staff won’t steer you wrong.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Mar. 2026
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An officer monitoring a vehicle X-ray machine did not detect anything wrong with the vehicle, but another officer doing a physical inspection spotted the woman’s foot, according to the complaint.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sour. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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