variants
or less commonly dowse
doused also dowsed; dousing also dowsing
1
: to plunge into water
Blanch the green beans then douse them in a bath of ice water.
2
3
[originally in argot use (douse the glim meaning "extinguish the light") and perhaps of distinct origin]
: extinguish
douse the lights
douse the blaze
: to fall or become plunged into water
douser
noun
or less commonly dowser
doused; dousing
dous·er
variants
or less commonly dowser
-sə(r) 
-zə-
plural -s
: one that douses
specifically
: a fireproof shutter that controls or intercepts the light reaching the film aperture of a motion-picture mechanism (as a projector) or of a stereopticon
Examples of douse in a Sentence
Verb (1)
in those days a gentleman would douse his hat when going indoors
Noun (2)
those soccer hooligans need a sound douse or two from a police officer's club
Recent Examples on the Web
Victoria Butenko, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
Chalamet later posted a slo-mo video of him being doused in champagne in the locker room.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
Nick Lentz, CBS News, 31 May 2026
In interiors, a pop of red adds energy, but a douse of it on the walls transforms the room entirely.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for douse
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Verb
By daybreak, firefighters were still working to douse the flames at the complex.
—Victoria Butenko, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
Chalamet later posted a slo-mo video of him being doused in champagne in the locker room.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
Noun
Douse fires with water, stir ashes and douse again.
—Nick Lentz, CBS News, 31 May 2026
In interiors, a pop of red adds energy, but a douse of it on the walls transforms the room entirely.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for douse
Cite this Entry
“Douse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/douse. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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