as in alcoholic
a person who makes a habit of getting drunk
an old souse who lumbered home with a full bottle of gin in him every night
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to wet
to make wet
a passing car barreled through the puddle and soused us good
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to soak
to wet thoroughly with liquid
firefighters soused the neighboring houses so that they wouldn't catch fire as well
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of souse
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Mars in your sign only happens every two years, souse this time wisely.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 3 Aug. 2025
For another Grand Turk specialty, chicken souse served with journey (called johnnycake on other Caribbean islands), Been suggests the deli at the Graceway Grand Turk or the Spot at the JAGS McCartney Airport, which serves the dish on Saturdays.
—Laura Begley Bloom, AFAR Media, 10 Mar. 2025
Taste traditional home cooking If fish is for Friday, the traditional Bajan dish of pudding and souse is the staple of Saturday.
—Patrick Scott, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The meat in souse is first tenderized through boiling and then marinated in lime, cucumbers, peppers and seasonings to pickled perfection.
—Essence, 25 Nov. 2024
Guests were treated to local specialties like fresh conch salad, crack conch fritters, curry goat, chicken souse and more, with a side of carnival vibes and traditional music and dance performances.
—Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
While assembling these souse and bakes, the complex history of the Caribbean comes into full view, as does the resilience of Grenadians who have turned the foods of their oppression such as saltfish into profoundly beautiful, delicious dishes.
—Lelani Lewis, Saveur, 29 Feb. 2024
The caterers served roti and jerk and pelau and souse.
—Victoria Brown, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 Feb. 2021
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 3 Aug. 2025
The party scenes are tawdry, with flappers frenetically jiggling, their underwear peeking out and soused guests making spectacles of themselves.
—Danielle Teller, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
The athletes were unwinding in the locker room when Coach Mark Few and his assistants charged in and began sousing them with ice-cold water.
—Andrew Keh, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023
And then there’s the soy sauce that gets soused over everything to improve bad food in a cheap restaurant.
—Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023
Noun
Both actors were the sons of souses (Dick Hopkins, on retiring from the baking trade, opened a pub), and the stuff was in their bloodstream.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Mars in your sign only happens every two years, souse this time wisely.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 3 Aug. 2025
For another Grand Turk specialty, chicken souse served with journey (called johnnycake on other Caribbean islands), Been suggests the deli at the Graceway Grand Turk or the Spot at the JAGS McCartney Airport, which serves the dish on Saturdays.
—Laura Begley Bloom, AFAR Media, 10 Mar. 2025
Taste traditional home cooking If fish is for Friday, the traditional Bajan dish of pudding and souse is the staple of Saturday.
—Patrick Scott, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The meat in souse is first tenderized through boiling and then marinated in lime, cucumbers, peppers and seasonings to pickled perfection.
—Essence, 25 Nov. 2024
Guests were treated to local specialties like fresh conch salad, crack conch fritters, curry goat, chicken souse and more, with a side of carnival vibes and traditional music and dance performances.
—Claudia Alarcón, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
While assembling these souse and bakes, the complex history of the Caribbean comes into full view, as does the resilience of Grenadians who have turned the foods of their oppression such as saltfish into profoundly beautiful, delicious dishes.
—Lelani Lewis, Saveur, 29 Feb. 2024
The caterers served roti and jerk and pelau and souse.
—Victoria Brown, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 Feb. 2021
Verb
Mars in your sign only happens every two years, souse this time wisely.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 3 Aug. 2025
The party scenes are tawdry, with flappers frenetically jiggling, their underwear peeking out and soused guests making spectacles of themselves.
—Danielle Teller, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
The athletes were unwinding in the locker room when Coach Mark Few and his assistants charged in and began sousing them with ice-cold water.
—Andrew Keh, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2023
And then there’s the soy sauce that gets soused over everything to improve bad food in a cheap restaurant.
—Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for souse
Noun
-
That’s an alcoholic who managed to quit drinking, but never dealt with the issues that drove him to drink in the first place.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
-
After the war, his goalscoring statistics were deleted and his achievements were discredited, with the Polish press labelling him as mentally unstable and an alcoholic.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
From hand pumps in British pubs to wet foam in Czech cafes, beer is poured a variety of ways throughout the world and in various glassware.—
Em Sauter,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Irrigation should be applied at the base of the plant at the soil line to avoid wetting the blooms.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Hosted nonfiction dipped to 23 from 26.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
The album is structured to trace the arc of a relationship, which means that the second half dips into the heartbreak we’re used to getting from Rodrigo.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Some cottages have additional features like larger backyards, connecting backyards, outdoor showers, soaking tubs, and fire pits.—
Christine Sarkis,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
-
Sprouting watermelon seeds, a process where fresh seeds soak and then naturally shed their black shells, is also a popular way to use the seeds.—
Jill Schildhouse,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Also keep in mind that blasting noise through your AirPods or speakers may drown out some very important other sounds — like approaching wildlife or mad rattlesnakes.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Skokie police said first responders began lifesaving measures at the scene, and the person who nearly drowned was stabilized at a local hospital.—
Dylan Olsen,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Otherwise, Makar will be wincing through pain trying to explain the unfathomable, Blackwood will be dropping F-bombs in disbelief and MacKinnon will be ducking reporters despite being the team’s best player.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
-
Aguirre’s refusal to duck a fight, even when facing imposing odds against him, is evident in his decision to return a third time to lead Mexico in a World Cup.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The subways, the skyscrapers, and the people packed into them have been drenched in orange and blue; the whole city has Knicks fever.—
Joan Kennedy,
Vogue,
10 June 2026
-
Melissa slammed Jamaica after drenching southern Haiti and parts of the Dominican Republic with heavy rains before continuing on to Cuba.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
During a phase of sleep called slow-wave, the brain’s vascular system pulses rhythmically, literally pumping cerebrospinal fluid through its innards and washing them clean.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
-
Dry the shelves and bins washed with soapy water, and return them to the refrigerator.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Souse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/souse. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
