as in estrangement
the loss of friendship or affection the souring of the business partnership led to an ugly legal battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in angering
to cause to change from friendly or loving to unfriendly or uncaring a misunderstanding that soured their relationship for a long time
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 souring
Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 Holly Wade, executive director of research for the National Federation of Independent Business, said the souring of sentiment among small business owners is directly tied to the rising prices of energy, a major input cost for their operations. —Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 15 Apr. 2026 Similarly, in 2023 pandas living in the Edinburgh Zoo were returned to China, a move some believe may have been connected to the souring relationship between China and the United Kingdom. —Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 Isak's partner in his later years, professional golfer Estefanía Knuth, reportedly played a role in the souring of this relationship, per the investigative sources. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025 This led to a souring of relations between New Delhi and Washington and was compounded by Modi sharing a stage with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China. —Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025 Which sharks would best and least tolerate souring seas remains an open question. —Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2025 Nothing gets me through the swiftly souring end of August quite like a vision of myself in this sweater, curled up by a fireplace with an epic that’s been languishing for years on my TBR stack. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025
Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026 Moreover, for six months, sentiment around AI was souring. —John Towfighi, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026 Greece probably outperformed key fiscal metrics for 2025 by at least one percentage point of output, offering leeway for aid to voters facing a souring economy, people familiar with the matter said. —Sotiris Nikas, Bloomberg, 15 Apr. 2026 The traditionally hot spring buying season has coincided with a souring economic environment impacting the decisions of many homebuyers. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026 With technology and social media dominating the lives of younger generations, Friedberg said there’s a knowledge gap in how to cultivate relationships with factories, how to use the correct terminology and how to choose souring destinations for specific product categories. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2026 However, the twists of its premise soon end up souring it conceptually, resulting in rapidly-diminishing returns, with derivative formal flourishes that largely recall other, better films. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026 But Carrick doesn’t appear worried about one defeat souring a previously good relationship. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026 Carlson’s faction is increasingly critical of Israel, which has coincided with souring opinion among younger Americans—on the right and the left. —Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 27 Feb. 2026
Noun
When Mares went to work at the Ford Plant on his first three days, he was fired, charges state — adding to their souring relationship. —Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 Holly Wade, executive director of research for the National Federation of Independent Business, said the souring of sentiment among small business owners is directly tied to the rising prices of energy, a major input cost for their operations. —Cory Smith, Baltimore Sun, 15 Apr. 2026 Similarly, in 2023 pandas living in the Edinburgh Zoo were returned to China, a move some believe may have been connected to the souring relationship between China and the United Kingdom. —Chinatsu Tsuji, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 Isak's partner in his later years, professional golfer Estefanía Knuth, reportedly played a role in the souring of this relationship, per the investigative sources. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025 This led to a souring of relations between New Delhi and Washington and was compounded by Modi sharing a stage with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in China. —Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025 Which sharks would best and least tolerate souring seas remains an open question. —Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2025 Nothing gets me through the swiftly souring end of August quite like a vision of myself in this sweater, curled up by a fireplace with an epic that’s been languishing for years on my TBR stack. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
The downturn in the president's job approval is largely attributable to souring opinions about the state of the nation's economy and the progression of the United States' joint war on Iran, according to the outlet. —Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026 Moreover, for six months, sentiment around AI was souring. —John Towfighi, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026 Greece probably outperformed key fiscal metrics for 2025 by at least one percentage point of output, offering leeway for aid to voters facing a souring economy, people familiar with the matter said. —Sotiris Nikas, Bloomberg, 15 Apr. 2026 The traditionally hot spring buying season has coincided with a souring economic environment impacting the decisions of many homebuyers. —Tristan Bove, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026 With technology and social media dominating the lives of younger generations, Friedberg said there’s a knowledge gap in how to cultivate relationships with factories, how to use the correct terminology and how to choose souring destinations for specific product categories. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2026 However, the twists of its premise soon end up souring it conceptually, resulting in rapidly-diminishing returns, with derivative formal flourishes that largely recall other, better films. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026 But Carrick doesn’t appear worried about one defeat souring a previously good relationship. —Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026 Carlson’s faction is increasingly critical of Israel, which has coincided with souring opinion among younger Americans—on the right and the left. —Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for souring
Noun
-
Blue Heron takes on a more robust intent about halfway through, as Romvari shifts into the present day, when Sasha is grown up (played by Amy Zimmer) and is doing a kind of investigation into her brother’s gradual estrangement from the family.— Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
-
Victoria Beckham discussed the family's ongoing estrangement from Brooklyn Beckham in a new interview with WSJ.— Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mamdani’s also done an about-face on the city’s rental assistance program, CityFHEPs, angering progressive allies.— Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
-
This causes a rift within the family, particularly angering the eldest son, Erik, who feels deeply betrayed.— John Hopewell, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Studies show some teens spend hours on their phones a day — and that the highest social-media users suffer most from alienation and depression.— Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 3 Apr. 2026
-
This section features collages, handwritten notes, and paintings that explore themes of adolescence, vulnerability, and alienation through childlike figures.— Robert Lang, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Scalping tickets wasn’t new, of course, but Kahn believed that its formalization online provided sports teams, and other entertainment businesses, with valuable information about demand that could enable them to make more money without alienating their most loyal fans.— John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
-
In the sanitized and alienating new surrounds, with the camaraderie of the early Hyperion days but a faint memory, long-simmering discontent about working conditions wouldn’t take long to boil over.— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Pugh had filed for a divorce for infidelity, said Troy Brown, the husband of one of the women who was shot and father to one of the deceased children.— Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2026
-
Each episode will gather five celebrities who have all experienced a life-changing event such as anxiety, divorce, parenthood or grief, to discuss it in front of a studio audience.— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The gap between what Greg and I did—and, more importantly, thought about—became a gigantic infuriating cavern for me.— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
-
In San Francisco, a Waymo vehicle struck and killed a bodega cat in the city’s Mission District last fall, infuriating residents.— Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His disaffection baffles his acquaintances and pains his tubercular wife (a superb Quinn Jackson), whose doctor (Lambert Tamin) has only contempt for her husband’s agonizing.— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026
-
On her new single—a piano ballad of dubious sincerity—Canadian DJ and songwriter Brat Star invokes Paltrow’s greatest role as one-third of a holy trinity of disaffection.— Walden Green, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
So, how can an organization remain current on customers' ever-changing needs and expectations without annoying or estranging them?— Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Souring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/souring. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
