as in estrangement
the loss of friendship or affection
the souring of the business partnership led to an ugly legal battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in angering
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
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 souring
Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
This led to a souring of relations between New Delhi and Washington and was compounded by Modi sharing a stage with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Which sharks would best and least tolerate souring seas remains an open question.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2025
Nothing gets me through the swiftly souring end of August quite like a vision of myself in this sweater, curled up by a fireplace with an epic that’s been languishing for years on my TBR stack.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025
Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
The delay in securing the return of all the bodies is souring the elation felt by Israelis on Monday, when all 20 remaining living hostages came home.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
The latest dip is largely due to souring attitudes among Democrats and, to a lesser degree, independents.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Furthermore, even if the AI isn’t the culprit in souring their mental health, a person might misunderstand the AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Rising sea levels from the warming climate are souring coastal freshwater sources while data centers that power AI and cloud computing are consuming water at an insatiable rate.
—Rodrique Ngowi, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Republican senators’ views of Kennedy are souring compared to when almost the entire GOP conference voted to confirm him in February.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
Consumers expect prices to go up again after several months of easing, labor market expectations are souring, and recession fears are on the rise.
—Jenna Sundel
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
Isak's partner in his later years, professional golfer Estefanía Knuth, reportedly played a role in the souring of this relationship, per the investigative sources.
—Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
This led to a souring of relations between New Delhi and Washington and was compounded by Modi sharing a stage with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Which sharks would best and least tolerate souring seas remains an open question.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2025
Nothing gets me through the swiftly souring end of August quite like a vision of myself in this sweater, curled up by a fireplace with an epic that’s been languishing for years on my TBR stack.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
Larson and McBroom didn’t have to worry about negativity souring their experience as co-authors.
—Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
The delay in securing the return of all the bodies is souring the elation felt by Israelis on Monday, when all 20 remaining living hostages came home.
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
The latest dip is largely due to souring attitudes among Democrats and, to a lesser degree, independents.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
Furthermore, even if the AI isn’t the culprit in souring their mental health, a person might misunderstand the AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Rising sea levels from the warming climate are souring coastal freshwater sources while data centers that power AI and cloud computing are consuming water at an insatiable rate.
—Rodrique Ngowi, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Republican senators’ views of Kennedy are souring compared to when almost the entire GOP conference voted to confirm him in February.
—Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
Consumers expect prices to go up again after several months of easing, labor market expectations are souring, and recession fears are on the rise.
—Jenna Sundel
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for souring
Noun
-
The six-part drama, produced by Banijay UK’s Mam Tor Productions, follows two men across four decades of friendship and estrangement in Glasgow and is set to debut in 2026.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Oct. 2025
-
But my sense is that estrangement, in one form or another, is at the core of all fiction, film, and art in general.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Following physical and emotional abuse, Lafferty became an anxious child who was constantly afraid of angering adults around her.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The new program, Train SMART, also risks angering a network of grassroots chapters and gun violence prevention volunteers at Everytown.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Conceived as a kaleidoscopic mosaic spanning from Kafka’s birth in 19th-century Prague to his death in post–World War I Vienna, Holland’s film captures both the man and the myth, revealing the Metamorphosis writer’s creative vision, alienation, and lasting cultural imprint.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Where the first half of the 1600 conversation explored how young men are drifting toward the right through grievance, alienation and algorithmic content, this installment challenges Democrats to confront their own inertia.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As consumer expectations for brand values rise, many companies are unsure how to communicate social purpose without alienating customers.—
Tensie Whelan,
Harvard Business Review,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Far from being doomed by his polarizing legacy, Republicans are poised to emerge as the party of the sensible center, representing the non-polarized public, while Democrats, mired in anti-Trump fervor, risk alienating the masses with diminished appeal.—
Nafees Alam,
Twin Cities,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In August 1996, Queen Elizabeth issued a new letters patent to address the issue of HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) stylings following a divorce within the royal family.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Less than a year later, Hemsworth filed for divorce in August 2019, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The journey, first to Paris and then through Switzerland and Milan and onwards to Venice, was for the most part pleasant, being blessedly free of many of the wearisome and often infuriating hindrances and misdirections that rail travel usually entails.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Don’t be surprised if this is a hot-hand situation, though, and rather infuriating.—
Jake Ciely,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Even the employees, once the guardians of glamour, linger on smoke breaks with the weary disaffection of people simply marking time.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
31 Aug. 2025
-
Other bands, such as Arcade Fire and the Postal Service, were turning away from the disaffection that characterized Gen X rock to express bighearted feelings in bespoke ways.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
So, how can an organization remain current on customers' ever-changing needs and expectations without annoying or estranging them?—
Chip Bell,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Souring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/souring. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share