douse 1 of 3

noun

ˈdüs How to pronounce douse (audio)
Definition of dousenext
British
as in blow
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

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douse

2 of 3

verb (1)

ˈdau̇s How to pronounce douse (audio)
as in to remove
to rid oneself of (a garment) in those days a gentleman would douse his hat when going indoors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

douse

3 of 3

verb (2)

variants also dowse
1
as in to extinguish
to cause to cease burning douse the campfire before leaving in the morning

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2
as in to drown
to make wet the heavy rains thoroughly doused the tourists strolling the town streets

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dip
to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid douse the grapes in water to remove any grit

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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 douse
Noun
The trail workers also maintain campsites, educate campers about fire safety and douse campfires that are left smoldering. — Zac Anderson, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025 Add a douse of gravy, and a smear of cranberry sauce on the inside of the top piece of toast. — Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2024
Verb
The timing coincided with the extraordinary feat which sent fans into a frenzy, dousing Reed and his caddie in drinks. — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025 Why hadn’t firefighters been on scene to help douse the flames — or at least persuade him to leave? — Jean Lee, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for douse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for douse
  1. blow
  2. slap
  3. knock
  4. hit
  5. swipe
  6. thump
  7. lick
  8. whack
Noun
  • The film stars the gifted André Holland as a theater performer who becomes an amnesiac after suffering a violent blow to the head.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2025
  • But some business owners and managers told the Miami Herald Fraga’s proposal, set to be considered by the Doral City Council on Wednesday, could deal a crushing blow to their establishments.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of blow
Noun
  • The strategy, as well as the sheer shock value of the slaps, has produced impressive social media statistics for Power Slap and solid viewership numbers on Rumble.
    — Matt Craig, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Can anyone actually remember anything that happened after the slap?
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of slap
Noun
  • The other knock against the 4201dw is its mediocre LCD and 360-degree dial controller.
    — David English, PCMAG, 13 Mar. 2025
  • So, that might not have been the biggest knock against New England.
    — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of knock
Noun
  • Foul trouble plagues the Tigers Without Mitchell, the Tigers couldn’t afford any more hits to the lineup.
    — Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Verstappen's continued dominance, winning 19 of 22 races in 2023, and securing his fourth consecutive world championship last season, resulted in a hit to the sport's popularity.
    — Olivia Hicks, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of hit
Noun
  • After a single swipe, the formula feels lightweight—yet not inky (there’s hardly any transfer to my lids or under-eyes).
    — Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Staying largely on-script, Trump made a few jokes and took a few swipes at Democrats.
    — Marc Caputo, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of swipe
Noun
  • But there’s thump, there’s just an understanding of situations, ability to use the whole field.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Alonso slots back into the Mets lineup and fits perfectly behind new teammate Juan Soto, providing exactly the kind of right-handed thump the Mets were lacking.
    — Tim Britton, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
Definition of thump
Noun
  • The teams combined to take 168 3-pointers, and didn’t play a lick of defense.
    — Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
  • Photo by Jeffery Edwards/Shutterstock In addition to artists, local restauranteurs are taking some of the hardest licks, given most are small-business owners and entrepreneurs who survive on the thinnest of margins and don’t have much in terms of reserves.
    — Joe Diaz, AFAR Media, 29 Jan. 2025
Definition of lick
Noun
  • The delicate balance gets thrown out of whack when Mark’s inner and outer lives draw closer together through a series of mysterious events.
    — Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • His skills were out of whack, probably due to an oblique injury and a hit-by-pitch on his throwing elbow.
    — Gene McCaffrey, The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of whack

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“Douse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/douse. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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