SOURING Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

souring 1 of 2

noun

as in estrangement

the loss of friendship or affection the souring of the business partnership led to an ugly legal battle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

souring

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sour

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

Noun

The results are part of a larger souring of opinion towards AI, with other recent polling by YouGov and The Economist finding that more than half of Americans say AI development is happening too fast, and that the technology is largely unlikely to deliver significant universal economic gains. — Tristan Bove, Fortune, 19 May 2026 The souring of their relationship has at times bordered on the petty and personal. — David Ingram, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026 When Mares went to work at the Ford Plant on his first three days, he was fired, charges state — adding to their souring relationship. — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 Holly Wade, executive director of research for the National Federation of Independent Business, said the souring of sentiment among small business owners is directly tied to the rising prices of energy, a major input cost for their operations. — Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 15 Apr. 2026 Similarly, in 2023 pandas living in the Edinburgh Zoo were returned to China, a move some believe may have been connected to the souring relationship between China and the United Kingdom. — Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 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

Verb

The mix-up may have contributed to souring the communication between the legal teams of the companies, whose relationship appears to be increasingly frayed. — NBC news, 15 July 2026 For retailers and brands, the implications include direct attacks on their customers that can severely damage the relationship by souring the shopping experience. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 7 July 2026 Several wildfires are raging across Colorado and souring skies with smoke. — Sarah Matusek, Christian Science Monitor, 7 July 2026 After months of souring views driven in part by a surge in gas prices, Americans are feeling more and more optimistic about the economy, according to new data released Friday. — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 26 June 2026 And public opinion on data centers is souring considerably. — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 22 June 2026 With the Epstein files, a feeling that has long been souring appears to now be way past its expiry date. — Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026 The potential electoral wipeout may spur a leadership challenge, with the political uncertainty likely further souring investors. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 7 May 2026 The downturn in the president's job approval is largely attributable to souring opinions about the state of the nation's economy and the progression of the United States' joint war on Iran, according to the outlet. — Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for souring

Noun

Rodgers’s estrangement from his brothers and parents first surfaced in 2016, when his brother Jordan shared Aaron had distanced himself from them.

— Christina Perrier, InStyle, 22 July 2026
During his hometown date — in which Fletcher met his family — Jordan opened up publicly for the first time about the estrangement between himself and his brother.

— Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026

Definition of estrangement

Verb

Leaders of the Maine Democratic Party are still working toward a process to replace Graham Platner, without angering his supporters.

— Dan Merica, Washington Post, 9 July 2026
The mayor floated the idea to place Williams on probation for six months, angering the city manager’s supporters in the crowd.

— Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026

Definition of angering

Noun

Not every successful novel of alienation turns on financial deprivation.

— Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
There’s a tone of alienation running through the group’s work, manifesting as a clash between aesthetics of rationalist sheen and heady mysticism that, depending on the light, read as both wholly improvised and meticulously programmed.

— Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026

Definition of alienation

Verb

Musk has his own army of devout followers, too, but the difference is that Musk is constantly miserable, alienating even some of his own followers with his extreme takes.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 22 July 2026
Attacking those schools — and the school board members, teachers and staff who run them — means alienating institutions that have served as pillars of their local communities for decades.

— Trinity Webster-Bass, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026

Definition of alienating

Verb

Speaking to them on the phone is infuriating since most of the conversation is about what’s going on with Kaden.

— Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 17 July 2026
The result can be a more consistent connection, fewer interruptions and less of that infuriating mid-episode quality drop.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of infuriating

Noun

But as each new generation gets further away from the novel’s original milieu and the image of Holden Caulfield has become shorthand for privileged disaffection, its necessity in curricula has been questioned.

— Adam Messinger, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
Here, as ever, Kokopeli suggests that clinging to youthful talismans offers no protection against uncertainty, and reasserts the odd mix of disaffection and morbid glee produced by such reactionary impulses.

— Theo Belci, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Definition of disaffection

Browse Nearby Words

sour grapes

souring

sourish

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“Souring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/souring. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of souring

noun

verb

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