sour
having an acid taste, resembling that of vinegar, lemon juice, etc.; tart.
rendered acid or affected by fermentation; fermented.
producing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is not bitter, salt, or sweet.
characteristic of something fermented: a sour smell.
distasteful or disagreeable; unpleasant.
below standard; poor: It was a sour effort all around, the kind of effort that doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
harsh in spirit or temper; acrimonious; disagreeable; peevish.
Agriculture. (of soil) having excessive acidity.
(of gasoline or the like) contaminated by sulfur compounds.
Music. off-pitch; badly produced: a sour note.
something that is sour.
any of various cocktails consisting typically of whiskey or gin with lemon or lime juice and sugar and sometimes soda water, often garnished with a slice of orange, a maraschino cherry, or both.
any of various beers with a particularly acidic or tart taste, made so by acid-producing bacteria and yeast in the brew: Sours are a good choice to go with deep-fried bar food.
an acid or an acidic substance used in laundering and bleaching to neutralize alkalis and to decompose residual soap or bleach.
to become sour, rancid, mildewed, etc.; spoil: Milk sours quickly in warm weather. The laundry soured before it was ironed.
to become unpleasant or strained; worsen; deteriorate: Relations between the two countries have soured.
to become bitter, disillusioned, or disinterested: I guess I soured when I learned he was married.My loyalty soured after his last book.
Agriculture. (of soil) to develop excessive acidity.
to make sour; cause sourness in: What do they use to sour the mash?
to cause spoilage in; rot: Defective cartons soured the apples.
to make bitter, disillusioned, or disagreeable: One misadventure needn't have soured him. That swindle soured a great many potential investors.
Origin of sour
1Other words for sour
5 | bitter |
6 | suboptimal, subpar, unsatisfactory |
7 | embittered, testy, touchy, cross, petulant, crabbed; severe |
Opposites for sour
Other words from sour
- sour·ish, adjective
- sour·ly, adverb
- sour·ness, noun
- o·ver·sour, adjective
- o·ver·sour·ly, adverb
- o·ver·sour·ness, noun
- un·sour, adjective
- un·sour·ly, adverb
- un·sour·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use sour in a sentence
And she is like cider, the older she grows, the sourer she grows.
The variety under consideration is sourer and less agreeable to the taste than many wild grapes.
The Grapes of New York | U. P. HedrickThe envious Trix heard the commendations showered on her former friend, and her face grew sourer and her temper sharper.
The Corner House Girls Under Canvas | Grace Brooks HillHer husband made a still more imperious gesture, and his face assumed a still sourer expression.
The Patriot | Antonio FogazzaroA bit stiffer in the joints, and maybe a bit sourer, was the answer; then the mans wrinkled face relaxed.
The Protector | Harold Bindloss
British Dictionary definitions for sour (1 of 2)
/ (ˈsaʊə) /
having or denoting a sharp biting taste like that of lemon juice or vinegar: Compare bitter (def. 1)
made acid or bad, as in the case of milk or alcohol, by the action of microorganisms
having a rancid or unwholesome smell
(of a person's temperament) sullen, morose, or disagreeable
(esp of the weather or climate) harsh and unpleasant
disagreeable; distasteful: a sour experience
(of land, etc) lacking in fertility, esp due to excessive acidity
(of oil, gas, or petrol) containing a relatively large amount of sulphur compounds
go sour or turn sour to become unfavourable or inharmonious: his marriage went sour
something sour
mainly US any of several iced drinks usually made with spirits, lemon juice, and ice: a whiskey sour
an acid used in laundering and bleaching clothes or in curing animal skins
to make or become sour
Origin of sour
1Derived forms of sour
- sourish, adjective
- sourly, adverb
- sourness, noun
British Dictionary definitions for Sour (2 of 2)
/ (sʊə) /
a variant spelling of Sur
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
Browse