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
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
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