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
Relations between Zelensky and Trump soured after the meeting, with the U.S. briefly pausing aid to Ukraine. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025 Even shareholders have soured to the idea of Elon Musk at the helm. Charles Singh, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
The vape smells like a mojito that’s gone a bit sour. Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2025 The hit of spice and sour shifts the fruit's flavor, too, the same way salt does. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sour
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sour
Verb
  • Apparently, Apple angered the US judge and the regulation behind it.
    Vivian Toh, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
  • The English-for-truckers push has particularly angered me, though.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2025
Adjective
  • Served in a shallow pool of rich but refreshingly acidic sauce, the legs are prepared to just short of fall-off-the-bone.
    Mike Jordan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 May 2025
  • Unlike many other archaeological sites in Sweden, where acidic soil degrades organic material, Strandvägen’s conditions have allowed organic material to survive for many years, as Gummesson tells the publication.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Daily use by adolescents and adults can result in another unpleasant side effect: uncontrollable vomiting, according to a 2021 study.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 5 May 2025
  • Vivian Yin’s will contains an unpleasant surprise for her daughters.
    Ilana Masad, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • Cutting them to fund tax breaks for the wealthy is unacceptable.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Change fatigue can cause corporate leadership to become more willing to accept the unwelcome, and to normalize the unacceptable.
    Michael Peregrine, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 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
  • The vintage was a cool one, allowing the grapes to mature slowly in autumn to balance sweet and acid components.
    John Mariani, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The acid content of these foods irritates your child's skin, causing redness that can look like a rash.6 Viruses and Bacterial Infections Certain viral or bacterial infections may cause multiple symptoms around the mouth, including a rash.
    Wendy Wisner, Health, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The harmony of flavors—including sweet tomatoes and cider, bitter radishes, spicy greens, umami Parmesan, and salty finishing flakes—kept me going back for bite after bite.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
  • These final years are sometimes treated as a lost period, because Twain’s writing grew bitter and cynical and unpalatable to those more interested in pleasing escapades.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Some would argue that picking a celebrity is the wrong way forward.
    Footwear News, Footwear News, 5 May 2025
  • In the 20th century, however, things started to go wrong.
    Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sour.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sour. Accessed 14 May. 2025.

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