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Glite Dictionary
to go sour

to go sour

17 4.1
To become bad or fail, for example a relationship
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɡoʊ saʊər/
translation icon : salir mal
  • When his investments went sour, he lost a lot of money.
  • things go sour
  • deal goes sour
  • relationship goes sour

It's got a time stamp and it's going to go sour unless you're reinventing.

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Examples

  • So I took a deal with her brother, and that deal went sour.

    The Book of Clarence (2024)

  • If for some reason the relationship goes sour, only the rice-giver may discontinue it.

    Academic text (1993)

  • And then if that relationship goes sour or maybe you guys are fighting or whatever it may be, right?

    Sarah Rae Vargas

  • This whole week has gone sour.

    Sideways (2004)

  • A business deal that went sour.

    The Fast and the Furious (2001)

  • Why did this alliance go sour so quickly?

    Academic text (2004)

  • Not to mention the shareholders who are gonna want to blame someone if this thing goes sour.

    Courting Mom and Dad (2021)

  • Men and women's relationships often go sour when communication breaks down.

    Blog text (14)

  • During sessions that sometimes lasted for hours, she poured out her feelings of despondency about a marriage gone sour.

    Academic text (1990)

  • If their friendship goes sour, they may stop talking to each other.

Synonyms

to deteriorate
vsto go sour
146 5.9

To get worse in quality, condition, or value

is used when something becomes unsuccessful or problematic rather than only losing value
to fail
vsto go sour
105 3.2

Become weaker or less able over time

focuses on becoming unsuccessful or problematic rather than just weakening
to go downhill
vsto go sour
  • Informal
37 3.9

To become worse over time in quality or condition

is used for becoming unsuccessful or problematic rather than only a slow decline
to go bad
vsto go sour
32 2.1

Become unsafe to eat or use because it has spoiled

is broader and means becoming problematic or unsuccessful beyond spoilage
to sour
vsto go sour
12 3.4

Become bad in taste or become upset

is used for becoming problematic or unsuccessful rather than only a taste change
to turn to shit
vsto go sour
  • Offensive
9 9.9

To go very badly and fail completely

is used for a general decline or problem rather than extreme ruin
soured
vsto go sour
5.0

Turned unpleasant, like milk that went bad or a friendship that ended

is used for a general unsuccessful or problematic change rather than specific spoilage

Antonyms

to improve
∞ 1.0

To make something better

to thrive
241 3.2

To grow well and be successful

How Well

to succeed
846 2.0
to go sour
17 4.1
to fail
898 1.0

Surface Forms

go sour infinitive
going sour present participle
goes sour third person singular
went sour past
gone sour past participle

Morphology

go + sour

The construction is compositionally transparent: 'go' = become and 'sour' = spoiled/unpleasant, so 'go sour' straightforwardly means 'become spoiled or deteriorate.' This metaphorical extension from physical spoilage to situations is common in English (and found in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will very likely infer the meaning.

Etymology

The phrase go sour may come from food going bad: when milk or fruit goes sour, it tastes unpleasant and is ruined. So, when a relationship, mood, or plan goes sour, it 'becomes bad' or stops working.