SOS

noun

ˌes-(ˌ)ō-ˈes 

1

: an internationally recognized signal of distress in radio code ‧ ‧ ‧ - - - ‧ ‧ ‧ used especially by ships calling for help

2

: a call or request for help or rescue

Examples of SOS in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This health and safety feature might be compared to the SOS and fall sensor features seen in other watches. —Andrew Williams, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025

Big East Locks: Creighton, UConn On the bubble: Marquette, Seton Hall Team Record NET SOS Quad 1 Quad 2 Marquette 19-8 57 88 0-3 1-1 Seton Hall 19-8 67 72 0-5 3-2 Spotlight on: Marquette After losing to Providence, Villanova is squarely out of the hunt for the NCAA Tournament. —Mark Schindler, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025

Véronique Godet, a former co-president of the L.G.B.T.Q. organization SOS Homophobie, told me that ninety per cent of the ambushes reported to them were organized on the platform. —Katie Ebner-Landy, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2025

Also available was Emergency SOS, where antennas connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. —Ramon Padilla, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for SOS

• bless
• chess
• cress
• dress
• es
• ess
• esse
• fess
• guess
• jess
• less
• lesse

Kids Definition

SOS

noun

ˌes-(ˌ)ō-ˈes 

ˌes-ə-ˈwes

1

: an international radio code distress signal used by ships and aircraft calling for help

2

: a call for help

Medical Definition

SOS

abbreviation

if occasion require; if necessary

—used in writing prescriptions

Etymology

Latin si opus sit