Synonyms of douse

douse 1 of 3

noun

ˈdüs 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blow
• slap
• knock
• hit
• swipe
• thump
• lick
• whack
• punch
• poke
• smack
• spank
• thud
• stroke
• pound
• beat
• slam
• bang
• chop
• clap
• swat
• switch
• lash
• kick
• hook
• dab
• smash
• clip
• pelt
• pick
• crack
• bash
• clout
• belt
• slug
• fillip
• hack
• licking
• plump
• bat
• sock
• biff
• stripe
• wham
• box
• thwack
• bop
• wallop
• buffet
• welt
• whop
• rap
• whap
• bust
• stinger
• cuff
• pounding
• haymaker
• knee
• beating
• hand
• left
• counter
• swing
• larrup
• shiver
• whip
• counterblow
• sucker punch
• right
• whipping
• hammering
• counterstroke
• body blow
• roundhouse
• thrashing
• pummeling
• battering
• one-two
• counterpunch
• knockdown
• clobbering
• flogging
• rabbit punch
• uppercut
• pummelling
• bastinado
• pasting
• KO
• drubbing
• lambasting
• sidewinder
• knockout
• cudgelling
• walloping
• bludgeoning
• cruncher
• cudgeling
• bastinade
• right-hander
• kayo

douse

2 of 3

verb (1)

ˈdau̇s 

as in to remove

to rid oneself of (a garment)

in those days a gentleman would douse his hat when going indoors

Synonyms & Similar Words

• remove
• doff
• shed
• put off
• peel (off)
• take off
• shrug off
• kick (off)
• strip
• undress
• disrobe
• husk

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• don
• put on
• throw (on)
• wear
• slip (into)
• clothe
• array
• rig
• suit
• apparel
• dress
• bedeck
• garb
• attire
• robe

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• extinguish
• quench
• choke
• blanket
• put out
• smother
• suffocate
• snuff (out)
• blow out
• stamp (out)
• stub
• snub (out)
• rub out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignite
• fire
• light
• inflame
• kindle
• enflame

2

as in to drown

to make wet

the heavy rains thoroughly doused the tourists strolling the town streets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• drown
• wash
• bathe
• drench
• flood
• soak
• wet
• water
• damp
• sodden
• wet down
• hydrate
• sprinkle
• sop
• waterlog
• moisten
• dampen
• submerge
• mist
• water-soak
• saturate
• drizzle
• swamp
• inundate
• souse
• flush
• bedraggle
• shower
• moisturize
• deluge
• rinse
• humidify
• irrigate
• impregnate
• overflow
• bedew
• asperse
• hose (down)
• splash
• steep
• slosh
• lave
• dunk
• rehydrate
• sluice
• dip
• duck
• rewash
• rewet

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dry
• scorch
• evaporate
• dehydrate
• sear
• desiccate
• parch
• dewater
• wring
• freeze-dry
• dehumidify
• drip-dry

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dip
• soak
• immerse
• submerge
• dunk
• moisten
• duck
• submerse
• drown
• bathe
• wet
• drench
• sop
• steep
• souse
• flood
• thrust
• plunge
• dive

Examples of douse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The vast majority of wildfires are human-caused, most of them by accident, such as when people create sparks by mowing, drag connecter chains from RVs, or fail to douse campfires, according to Cal Fire. —Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 9 June 2024

Afterward, a Times investigation found the problem stretched back several decades and was possible in part because the inmate housing areas in the aging facility have no sprinklers to douse blazes or blaring smoke detectors to prompt jailers to respond. —Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024

Verb

When Hurricane Helene struck, Spruce Pine was doused in more than two feet of rain, flooding its downtown, knocking out power and forcing businesses to shutter. —Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Oct. 2024

Roasted butternut squash is doused with an onion-y vinaigrette, then layered with fresh basil leaves and left to marinate. —Ursula Ferrigno, Saveur, 3 Oct. 2024