Meaning & use
go sour
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Meanings
phraseintransitive
To become unpleasant, unsuccessful, or unfriendly.
Grammar: Used without an object, often with subjects like 'the relationship', 'the deal', or 'things'.
Patterns
- something goes sour
- the relationship goes sour
- things go sour
Their friendship went sour after the argument.
The deal went sour when the buyer changed the terms.
The mood in the room went sour when the bad news arrived.
phraseintransitive
To become acid or spoiled, especially of milk or other food.
Grammar: Used without an object, typically with food or drink as the subject.
Patterns
- milk goes sour
- the sauce goes sour
The milk went sour because we left it out of the fridge.
If you keep the cream too long, it will go sour.
The wine went sour after being open for a week.
Common combinations
- milk goes sour
- The milk went sour overnight.
- the relationship goes sour
- Their relationship went sour after the move.
- things go sour
- Things went sour when the money ran out.
- go sour on someone
- The plan went sour on us at the last minute.
Synonyms and how they differ
- turn
- Used for food becoming bad, as in 'the milk turned'; 'go sour' is more specific and vivid.
- spoil
- A general verb for food becoming unfit to eat; 'go sour' emphasizes the acid taste.
- deteriorate
- A formal word for becoming worse; 'go sour' is more informal and often about relationships or moods.
Opposites
Commonly confused: go sour or sour?
go sour vs sour
As an adjective, 'sour' describes a taste or a bad mood; 'go sour' is the phrase for the process of becoming sour.
Practice
After the scandal, the public's opinion of the mayor ___.
Choose one answer.
'Went sour' is the correct phrase meaning became unfavorable. 'Sourly' is an adverb, and the other options are not grammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “go sour”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.