louse

noun

ˈlau̇s How to pronounce louse (audio)
Definition of lousenext
as in bastard
a person whose behavior is offensive to others I can't believe you're willing to spend time with that lying louse

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 louse No, the convolution of the weaving story and a principal character who is such a louse can be grating. — David John Chávez, Mercury News, 6 Oct. 2025 One of my favorites is the tongue louse, which usually comes in through the gills of the host fish (something like a red snapper), eats the tongue, and then takes its place. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2025 In reality, Rothstein was a louse, forever at odds with his Orthodox father, Abraham, and upright brother Harry. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025 The reason there is a difference between their number of vine and rootstock varieties is due to the subterranean phylloxera louse that wiped out huge swaths of the world’s grape vines during the mid 19th century. — Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for louse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for louse
  1. jerk
  2. dog
  3. clown
  4. skunk
  5. rat
Noun
  • From award-winning jerk pork wraps to classic rice and peas, every bite celebrates our heritage.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Bella’s childhood friend Angus (Jake Simmance), a corporate jerk, condescendingly probes Johnny about his career.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jerk
Noun
  • Lamm told TechCrunch that conventional breeding can produce dogs with poor eyesight or genetic predispositions to cancer.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Cadaver dogs also alerted to the scent of a corpse in the vehicle.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of dog
Noun
  • That’s not to jinx the master clown who’s currently doddering around in Argan’s shoes on Broadway.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In several descriptions of these amateur events, including some of his own, Hemingway sounds less like a matador than a rodeo clown.
    — Stephen Bates, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • But there is also no mistaking the distinct black-and-white fur and bushy tails of skunks.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Officials say the last animal confirmed to have rabies that wasn’t a bat was a skunk infected with the bat strain of rabies in Long Beach in 2014.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of skunk
Noun
  • In 1894 French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin isolated the plague bacterium and connected rat infestations to the disease.
    — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
  • That money will fund a rat model of Jaxson’s gene mutation, which is expected to be studied at UT Southwestern next year.
    — Ciara McCarthy October 22, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of rat

Phrases Containing louse

Browse Nearby Words

lounging (around or about)
louse
loused up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Louse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/louse. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on louse

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about louse

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