ooze

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈüz 

1

: a soft deposit (as of mud, slime, or shells) on the bottom of a body of water

The turtle buried itself in the ooze.

2

: a piece of soft wet plastic ground : a marsh or bog that results from the flow of a spring, stream, or brooklet

ooze

2 of 3

verb

oozed; oozing

intransitive verb

1

: to pass or flow slowly through or as if through small openings or interstices

2

: to move slowly or imperceptibly

the crowd began to ooze forward

—Bruce Marshall

3

a

: to exude moisture

b

: to exude something often in a faintly repellent manner

ooze with sympathy

transitive verb

1

: to emit slowly

2

: exude sense 2

ooze confidence

ooze

3 of 3

noun (2)

1

: a decoction of vegetable material used for tanning leather

2

: the act of oozing

3

: something that oozes

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• mud
• sludge

Verb

• drip
• exude
• seep
• flow
• percolate
• bleed
• weep

Examples of ooze in a Sentence

Noun (1)

our car tires sank deep in the ooze

Verb

Sap oozed from the tree.

Juice oozed out of the plum.

The cut on her finger was oozing with blood.

The tree was oozing sap.

The cut on her finger was oozing blood.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Potential oozes from him, but putting it all together still eludes him. —Chandler Rome, New York Times, 18 June 2025

Monk was pronounced dead on Nov. 15, 2021, after his body laid face-down in his cell for days as a brown ooze seeped from beneath him. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 June 2025

Verb

Sunflowers are known for polluting water when excessive debris oozes from their stems. —Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025

When the tattoo artist was finished and wiped the tattoo down — a common practice, as tattoos can ooze blood and ink — Washburn said the tattoo leaked more than what’s usually expected. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 27 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English wose, from Old English wāse mire; akin to Old Norse veisa stagnant water

Verb

Middle English wosen, from wose sap

Noun (2)

Middle English wose sap, juice, from Old English wōs; akin to Old High German waso damp

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ooze

• blues
• boos
• booze
• brews
• bruise
• chews
• choose
• chuse
• clews
• clues
• coups
• crews

Kids Definition

ooze

1 of 3 noun

ˈüz 

: soft mud or slime (as on the bottom of a lake)

ooze

2 of 3 verb

oozed; oozing

1

: to flow or leak slowly

sap oozed from the tree

2

: emit sense 1a

a manner that oozed confidence

ooze

3 of 3 noun

: something that oozes