as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
those soccer hooligans need a sound douse or two from a police officer's club
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in removes
to rid oneself of (a garment)
in those days a gentleman would douse his hat when going indoors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also dowses
1
as in extinguishes
to cause to cease burning
douse the campfire before leaving in the morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in drowns
to make wet
the heavy rains thoroughly doused the tourists strolling the town streets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of douses
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
The formula is enriched with Japanese red camellia oil, a lightweight, fast-absorbing ingredient that douses the hair in antioxidants.
—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
11 Nov. 2025
Outside, the rain douses the flames at the cooperage, but the situation still seems a bit explosive.
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
In this recipe, orange juice also douses the bran before and after baking.
—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
The formula is enriched with Japanese red camellia oil, a lightweight, fast-absorbing ingredient that douses the hair in antioxidants.
—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
11 Nov. 2025
Outside, the rain douses the flames at the cooperage, but the situation still seems a bit explosive.
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for douses
Noun
-
Hers is a voice that ought to have a lifetime’s staying power, bolstered by a lyrical and musical sensibility that provide everything her instrument needs to deliver a happy succession of knockout blows.
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Despite the blows to Eurovision’s finances and viewership from the boycott, the contest is eyeing expansion, with a spinoff Eurovision Song Contest Asia due to take place in Bangkok in November.
Verb
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Assembly Bill 46, carried by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, D-Elk Grove, removes a legal standard that restricted courts’ ability to deny diversion.
-
Peeling removes some of the vegetable's nutritional content like dietary fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Verb
-
Desmond successfully uncorks a stone plug at the island's core and extinguishes the light.
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After the fish has dropped, a bucket of water from Enid Lake extinguishes the fire.
Verb
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Drenching the nest and surrounding area with water drowns workers and possibly the queen, which disrupts the colony.
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The more militants are killed, the deeper the city drowns in militant Shia iconography.
Verb
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On The Porch There’s a particular kind of magic that comes when the sun dips below the treetops and the soundtrack of a summer evening fills the air—crickets, cicadas, and whip-poor-wills.
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The best times to drink coffee are mid-morning and early afternoon, when your energy naturally dips.
Noun
-
Devers petulantly left the field, avoided handshakes and butt slaps in the dugout, and retreated to the clubhouse.
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Whoever loses slaps the other in the face with a tortilla, usually causing water to spray out of their mouth.
Verb
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Unfortunately, that only wets the top quarter inch of soil—a feel-good move for gardeners but not for roots.
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Another Pearl Girl wets herself when the Eyes come for Thalia.
Verb
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This exercise immerses you in the outdoors and encourages you to appreciate even the smallest patches of green.
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Camping in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is an otherworldly experience that immerses you in thousands of years of natural history.
Cite this Entry
“Douses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/douses. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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