soul

[ sohl ]

/ soʊl /

See synonyms for: soul / souls on Thesaurus.com

noun

the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans, regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body, and commonly held to be separable in existence from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical part.

the spiritual part of humans regarded in its moral aspect, or as believed to survive death and be subject to happiness or misery in a life to come: arguing the immortality of the soul.

the disembodied spirit of a deceased person: He feared the soul of the deceased would haunt him.

the emotional part of human nature; the seat of the feelings or sentiments.

a human being; person.

high-mindedness; noble warmth of feeling, spirit or courage, etc.

the animating principle; the essential element or part of something.

the inspirer or moving spirit of some action, movement, etc.

the embodiment of some quality: He was the very soul of tact.

(initial capital letter)Christian Science. God; the divine source of all identity and individuality.

shared ethnic awareness and pride among Black people, especially Black Americans.

deeply felt emotion, as conveyed or expressed by a performer or artist.

soul music.

adjective

of, characteristic of, or for Black Americans or their culture: soul newspapers.

SYNONYMS FOR soul

1 spirit.

4 heart.

7 essence, core, heart.

See synonyms for soul on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?

Question 1 of 10

seclusion

a false belief or opinion.

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of soul

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sāwl, sāwol; cognate with Dutch ziel, German Seele, Old Norse sāl, Gothic saiwala

OTHER WORDS FROM soul

soullike, adjectiveun·der·soul, noun

Words nearby soul

sough, sought, sought-after, souk, soukous, soul, soul brother, soul cake, soul-destroying, soul food, soulful

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for soul

The Senate likes to call itself “the world’s greatest deliberative body,” and the filibuster, at least in myth, is the soul of that deliberation.
The definitive case for ending the filibuster|Ezra Klein|October 1, 2020|Vox
Likewise, when celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, of Ethiopian and Swedish descent, opened soul food restaurant Red Rooster in Harlem, New York, in 2010, some criticized it for contributing to gentrification by catering to outsiders.
The Stages of Gentrification, as Told by Restaurant Openings|Vince Dixon|September 30, 2020|Eater
All the same, Stone Locals is a compelling depiction of the soul of the sport.
3 New Documentaries to Stream This Fall|Erin Berger|September 21, 2020|Outside Online
As a Belarusian citizen, my heart hurts, and my soul is tired.
A Proud Belarusian’s Heartbreak|Tracy Moran|August 18, 2020|Ozy

We started with a major open space idea as we sculpted our plan, and it has now rightfully emerged as the soul of the project.
Public Benefits Define Midway Proposal|Frank Wolden, Aruna Doddapaneni and Colin Parent|July 21, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Education controls the transmission of values and molds the spirit before dominating the soul.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
You mix up English working-class gruffness with African-American soul from the Deep South.
The Greatest Rock Voice of All Time Belonged to Joe Cocker|Ted Gioia|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Perhaps every reproduction of a piece of art steals a part of its soul.
Tim Burton Talks ‘Big Eyes,’ His Taste For the Macabre, and the ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel|Marlow Stern|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Alas, his soul is willing, but his flesh is weak and he whiffs.
After Torture Report, Our Moral Authority As a Nation Is Gone|Nick Gillespie|December 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Suppressed, banned, scorned—it seems to speak to something within the human mind (or soul, if you like) that is irrepressible.
Meet Krampus, the Seriously Bad Santa|Jay Michaelson|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His stomach was empty—which he knew, and his soul was empty—which he did not know.
A Rainy June and Other Stories|Ouida
She also beheld Jove sitting upon the highest top of many-rilled Ida, and he was hateful to her soul.
The Iliad of Homer (1873)|Homer
Great activity and worry is needless—it is poison to the soul.
Shandygaff|Christopher Morley
Suppose now she stood before him, wonder-eyes raised, seeking his soul's truth; hands resting in his until he should speak.
Joyce of the North Woods|Harriet T. Comstock
Elizabeth had loved Edward, would she not go with Mary to hear a mass for the repose of his soul?
In the Days of Queen Elizabeth|Eva March Tappan

British Dictionary definitions for soul (1 of 2)

soul

/ (səʊl) /

noun

the spirit or immaterial part of man, the seat of human personality, intellect, will, and emotions, regarded as an entity that survives the body after deathRelated adjective: pneumatic

Christianity the spiritual part of a person, capable of redemption from the power of sin through divine grace

the essential part or fundamental nature of anything

a person's feelings or moral nature as distinct from other faculties

Also called: soul music a type of Black music resulting from the addition of jazz, gospel, and pop elements to the urban blues style
(as modifier)a soul singer

(modifier) of or relating to Black Americans and their culturesoul brother; soul food

nobility of spirit or temperamenta man of great soul and courage

an inspiring spirit or leading figure, as of a cause or movement

a person regarded as typifying some characteristic or qualitythe soul of discretion

a person; individualan honest soul

the life and soul See life (def. 28)

upon my soul! an exclamation of surprise

Derived forms of soul

soul-like, adjective

Word Origin for soul

Old English sāwol; related to Old Frisian sēle, Old Saxon sēola, Old High German sēula soul

British Dictionary definitions for soul (2 of 2)

Soul

/ (səʊl) /

noun

Christian Science another word for God

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with soul

soul

In addition to the idiom beginning with soul

soul of, the

also see:

bare one's soul
heart and soul
keep body and soul together
kindred spirit (soul)
living soul

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

soul

noun

adjective

SYNONYMS FOR soul

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of soul

OTHER WORDS FROM soul

Words nearby soul

Example sentences from the Web for soul

British Dictionary definitions for soul (1 of 2)

noun

Derived forms of soul

Word Origin for soul

British Dictionary definitions for soul (2 of 2)

noun

Idioms and Phrases with soul

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

soul

noun

adjective

SYNONYMS FOR soul

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of soul

OTHER WORDS FROM soul

Words nearby soul

Words related to soul

Example sentences from the Web for soul

British Dictionary definitions for soul (1 of 2)

noun

Derived forms of soul

Word Origin for soul

British Dictionary definitions for soul (2 of 2)

noun

Idioms and Phrases with soul