souse 1 of 2

noun

Definition of sousenext
as in alcoholic
a person who makes a habit of getting drunk an old souse who lumbered home with a full bottle of gin in him every night

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

souse

2 of 2

verb

ˈsau̇s How to pronounce souse (audio)
1
as in to wet
to make wet a passing car barreled through the puddle and soused us good

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dip
to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid repeatedly soused the tools in the tub to get the dirt off

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to soak
to wet thoroughly with liquid firefighters soused the neighboring houses so that they wouldn't catch fire as well

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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 souse
Noun
Both actors were the sons of souses (Dick Hopkins, on retiring from the baking trade, opened a pub), and the stuff was in their bloodstream. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025 For another Grand Turk specialty, chicken souse served with journey (called johnnycake on other Caribbean islands), Been suggests the deli at the Graceway Grand Turk or the Spot at the JAGS McCartney Airport, which serves the dish on Saturdays. — Laura Begley Bloom, AFAR Media, 10 Mar. 2025 Taste traditional home cooking If fish is for Friday, the traditional Bajan dish of pudding and souse is the staple of Saturday. — Patrick Scott, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025 Guests were treated to local specialties like fresh conch salad, crack conch fritters, curry goat, chicken souse and more, with a side of carnival vibes and traditional music and dance performances. — Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024 While assembling these souse and bakes, the complex history of the Caribbean comes into full view, as does the resilience of Grenadians who have turned the foods of their oppression such as saltfish into profoundly beautiful, delicious dishes. — Lelani Lewis, Saveur, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
At the reception, everyone sat at tables named for Italian directors and feasted on dishes like linguine with baby squid and soused trout by chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo. — Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 The party scenes are tawdry, with flappers frenetically jiggling, their underwear peeking out and soused guests making spectacles of themselves. — Danielle Teller, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025 The athletes were unwinding in the locker room when Coach Mark Few and his assistants charged in and began sousing them with ice-cold water. — Andrew Keh, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023 And then there’s the soy sauce that gets soused over everything to improve bad food in a cheap restaurant. — Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for souse
  1. alcoholic
  2. wet
  3. dip
  4. soak
  5. drown
  6. duck
  7. drench
  8. wash
Noun
  • By the time Casey came under the wing of other recovering alcoholics in the 1990s, Murphy was a local legend.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Premiering in 2013, Faris starred in the first seven seasons of Mom as Christy, a recovering alcoholic who struggles to maintain a job, her family and her sobriety as her mom Bonnie (Allison Janney), who’s also in recovery, moves in with her.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of alcoholic
Verb
  • Some wet their beds, experience chest pains, or cry out at night.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • When the timer dinged, Ernest carried his rats to the sink and wet them gently, one at a time.
    — Madeline ffitch, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of wet
Verb
  • Some organizations are dipping their toes in the water by using AI for basic functions, like summarizing spreadsheets or drafting marketing material.
    — Kim Quillen, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2026
  • After one of Kansas City’s warmest starts to fall on record, a sharp chill is on the way, with temperatures expected to dip below freezing Friday and Saturday mornings, according to the National Weather Service.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of dip
Verb
  • Heavy rain and a few thunderstorms are soaking parts of Brooklyn as even heavier thunderstorms churn off the coast just to the south.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The primary suite, which is set up in one of the original coal sheds on the ground level, is outfitted with a kiva-style fireplace, skylights, a soaking tub, and French doors opening to a flagstone patio overlooking the creek.
    — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of soak
Verb
  • Theiss’ wife filed a police complaint alleging that the men were shocked while trying to get out of the pool and drowned, NDTV reported.
    — Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 31 Oct. 2026
  • And Saturday, with the game temporarily relocated to Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Gators couldn’t even drown their sorrows in the usual Jacksonville sunshine.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of drown
Verb
  • Unlike many of their indie-rock peers, Pavement rejected every major-label caller, ducking outsize contracts.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Behind the clock tower, the actors ducked and cowered as wind and dust washed over them, flattening their hair and sending papers flying.
    — Matt Alt, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of duck
Verb
  • Totals will climb quickly if the drenching storms currently over the water reach the collapse site.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026
  • He was seen throwing his hands in the air and ushering royal aides to bring him an umbrella as the rain drenched him and his suit.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of drench
Verb
  • Computer modeling of the results suggests half of the plastic bottles washing into the Great Lakes and oceans every year come from at least 10 miles and up to 120 miles away, the scientists reported.
    — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2026
  • From washing dishes at a Denny's to running the most valuable company in the world.
    — Kif Leswing,Annie Palmer,Kevin Breuninger,Samantha Subin,Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of wash

Browse Nearby Words

sours
souse
soused
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Cite this Entry

“Souse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/souse. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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