sour

1 of 3

adjective

ˈsau̇(-ə)r 

1

: being, inducing, or marked by the one of the five basic taste sensations that is produced chiefly by acids and is characteristic of lemon juice

sour pickles

compare bitter entry 1 sense 1a, salty entry 1 sense 1b, sweet entry 1 sense 1, umami entry 2

2

a(1)

: having the acid taste or smell of or as if of fermentation : turned

sour milk

(2)

: of or relating to fermentation

b

: smelling or tasting of decay : rancid, rotten

sour breath

c(1)

: bad, wrong

a project gone sour

(2)

: hostile, disenchanted

went sour on Marxism

3

a

: unpleasant, distasteful

b

: cross, sullen

c

: not up to the usual, expected, or standard quality or pitch

4

: acid in reaction

—used especially of soil

5

: containing malodorous sulfur compounds

—used especially of petroleum products

sourish

ˈsau̇(-ə)r-ish 

adjective

sourly adverb

sourness noun

sour

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: something sour

… they assimilated many Anglo-American sweet pickles and began adding more sugar to their sours.

—William Woys Weaver

b

: the taste sensation produced chiefly by acids compare bitter entry 2 sense 1b, salty entry 2, sweet entry 3 sense 2, umami entry 1

2

: a cocktail consisting of a liquor (such as whiskey), lemon or lime juice, sugar, and sometimes ice

sour

3 of 3

verb

soured; souring; sours

intransitive verb

: to become sour

transitive verb

: to make sour

Synonyms

Adjective

• acid
• acidic
• acidulous
• sourish
• tart
• tartish
• vinegary

Verb

• alien
• alienate
• disaffect
• disgruntle
• estrange

Examples of sour in a Sentence

Adjective

The milk had turned sour.

He made a sour face.

Verb

Her disposition has soured in recent years.

Jealousy has soured their relationship.

His experiences have soured him.

The team's victory was soured by an injury to one of their best players.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

There are plenty of sour notes within this dynasty as a legendary mogul (Terrence Howard) and his ruthless wife/partner-in-crime (Taraji P. Henson) try to maintain order while various heirs vie for the throne. —Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2024

The only sour note was sounded when it was revealed that Ademola Lookman of Nigeria had been voted the Men’s African Player of the Year, beating the Moroccan candidate Achraf Hakimi. —Simon Hughes, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024

Noun

The evening began at 7 p.m., with vodka sours and spicy margaritas in the Lightroom atrium. —Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2024

Athletic Brewing has made a name for itself with its wide range of athlete-friendly recipes and creative flavors (think: crisp IPAs, fruity sours, or darker brews perfect for the cooler months). —Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 23 Nov. 2024

Verb

Weak economic data seemed to sour the sentiment a bit earlier in the session. —Yun Li, CNBC, 22 Dec. 2024

In just over three minutes, Phair manages to capture the agony and discomfort of a relationship that’s just beginning to sour. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English sūr; akin to Old High German sūr sour, Lithuanian sūrus salty

First Known Use

Adjective

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

Noun

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

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing sour

• on a sour note
• sour ball
• sour cherry
• sour cream
• sour grapes
• sour grass
• sour gum
• sour mash
• sour on
• sour orange
• sweet-and-sour
• whiskey sour

Kids Definition

sour

1 of 3 adjective

ˈsau̇(ə)r 

1

: having or being an acid or tart taste that is one of the four taste sensations compare bitter sense 1, salt entry 3 sense 1b, sweet entry 1 sense 1b

2

a

: having become acid through spoiling

sour milk

b

: indicating decay : putrid

a sour odor

3

: unpleasant, disagreeable

a sour look

played a sour note

4

: acid in reaction

sour soil

sourly adverb

sourness noun

sour

2 of 3 noun

1

a

: something sour

b

: the basic taste sensation produced by acid stimuli

2

: a cocktail made with liquor, lemon or lime juice, sugar, and sometimes soda water

sour

3 of 3 verb

: to become or make sour

Medical Definition

sour

1 of 2 adjective

ˈsau̇(ə)r 

: causing, characterized by, or being the one of the four basic taste sensations that is produced chiefly by acids compare bitter, salt entry 2 sense 2, sweet entry 1

sourness noun

sour

2 of 2 noun

: the primary taste sensation produced by acid stimuli