sauce
1 of 2noun
ˈsȯs 
usually for sense 4 ˈsas
1
: a condiment or relish for food
especially : a fluid dressing or topping
2
: something that adds zest or piquancy
3
: stewed fruit eaten with other food or as a dessert
4
: pert or impudent language or actions
5
slang : liquor —used with the
sauce
2 of 2verb
ˈsȯs
usually for sense 3 ˈsas
sauced; saucing
transitive verb
1
a
: to dress with relish or seasoning
b
: to cover or serve with a sauce
2
a
archaic : to modify the harsh or unpleasant characteristics of
b
: to give zest or piquancy to
3
: to be rude or impudent to
Synonyms
Noun
- dressing
- gravy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun She tried several sauces before she found one she liked. chicken in a cream sauce Cover the strawberries with the chocolate sauce. This pizza needs more sauce. I've had enough of your sauce!
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2022 Word of mouth is also how her sauce began to take off. Brooklyn White, Essence, 8 Sep. 2022 That’s a flour or corn tortilla stuffed with your favorite meat or vegetable on a bed of rice and beans, topped with your favorite sauce. Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 8 Sep. 2022 The popular restaurant chain will release his custom sauce called the Sauce Sauce. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 30 Aug. 2022 Its sharp green sauce is wasted on white bites of what smack of nothing but fat. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 The 1-pound sirloin patty is grilled and then topped with Bert's Marketplace pulled pork that has been marinated in its signature barbecue sauce. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 3 Aug. 2022 For the past month, Chef Pii has been hard at work promoting her pink sauce, drizzling it on various foods and selling it for $20 a bottle. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2022 In Lyon, the idea of an offal sausage, or andouillette, without its mustard sauce is as inconceivable as cheese starved of wine. New York Times, 14 July 2022 New York Times, 2 Sep. 2022 Instead of spaghetti, this recipe calls for casarecce, a sturdy, short, scroll-like pasta that captures sauce and can withstand the vigorous stirring needed to create a cheesy, creamy coating. Odette Williams, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Skeens won best spaghetti sauce, best applesauce and best sauerkraut. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 30 June 2022 Make a long process shorter by layering zucchini, summer squash, Italian sausage, lasagna noodles, and marina sauce in a skillet rather than a baking dish. Katelyn Lunders, Woman's Day, 24 June 2022 To serve, spoon shrimp and sauce over grits, and top with reserved crispy bacon. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 21 June 2022 Walk away and live your life, then come back to sauce them, which takes only a few, short, relaxing movements. New York Times, 13 June 2022 There were potatoes to mash; stuffing to prepare; bread to slice; sauce to stir; and turkey to arrange — with just an hour to go before the first performance. New York Times, 18 May 2022 Add chipotle chile and sauce and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 2 May 2022 See More
Noun
It's loaded with two cheeses, two types of noodles, and your favorite tomato pasta sauce. Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2022 Word of mouth is also how her sauce began to take off. Brooklyn White, Essence, 8 Sep. 2022 That’s a flour or corn tortilla stuffed with your favorite meat or vegetable on a bed of rice and beans, topped with your favorite sauce. Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 8 Sep. 2022 The popular restaurant chain will release his custom sauce called the Sauce Sauce. Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 30 Aug. 2022 Its sharp green sauce is wasted on white bites of what smack of nothing but fat. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 The 1-pound sirloin patty is grilled and then topped with Bert's Marketplace pulled pork that has been marinated in its signature barbecue sauce. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 3 Aug. 2022 For the past month, Chef Pii has been hard at work promoting her pink sauce, drizzling it on various foods and selling it for $20 a bottle. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2022 In Lyon, the idea of an offal sausage, or andouillette, without its mustard sauce is as inconceivable as cheese starved of wine. New York Times, 14 July 2022 Verb
Linguine with Manhattan clam sauce and crab stracciatelli soup will again be on the menu. New York Times, 2 Sep. 2022 Instead of spaghetti, this recipe calls for casarecce, a sturdy, short, scroll-like pasta that captures sauce and can withstand the vigorous stirring needed to create a cheesy, creamy coating. Odette Williams, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Skeens won best spaghetti sauce, best applesauce and best sauerkraut. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 30 June 2022 Make a long process shorter by layering zucchini, summer squash, Italian sausage, lasagna noodles, and marina sauce in a skillet rather than a baking dish. Katelyn Lunders, Woman's Day, 24 June 2022 To serve, spoon shrimp and sauce over grits, and top with reserved crispy bacon. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 21 June 2022 Walk away and live your life, then come back to sauce them, which takes only a few, short, relaxing movements. New York Times, 13 June 2022 There were potatoes to mash; stuffing to prepare; bread to slice; sauce to stir; and turkey to arrange — with just an hour to go before the first performance. New York Times, 18 May 2022 Add chipotle chile and sauce and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Tribune News Service, cleveland, 2 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin salsa, feminine of salsus salted, from past participle of sallere to salt, from sal salt — more at salt
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing sauce
Kids Definition
sauce
noun
ˈsȯs
1
: a usually thick liquid poured over or mixed with food
spaghetti sauce
2
: boiled or canned fruit
cranberry sauce
sauce 1 of 2
noun
1
as in dressing
a savory fluid food used as a topping or accompaniment to a main dish the chef poured sauce over the meat just before he served it Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- dressing
- gravy
- condiment
- topping
- marinade
- seasoning
- garnish
- relish
- dip
- fixing(s)
2
as in sass
disrespectful or argumentative talk given in response to a command or request if you put up with any sauce from them, they'll only get worse Synonyms & Similar Words
- sass
- back talk
- mouth
- cheek
- disrespect
- rudeness
- insolence
- impudence
- retort
- cuteness
- impertinence
- rejoinder
- nonsense
- boldness
- tactlessness
- comeback
- impoliteness
- wisecrack
- crossness
- riposte
- backchat
- guff
- bluffness
- vulgarity
- audacity
- bluntness
- brusqueness
- crassness
- coarseness
- gruffness
- discourtesy
- crudity
- audaciousness
- surliness
- brazenness
- abruptness
- curtness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- diplomacy
- politeness
- smoothness
- consideration
- civility
- gentility
- gallantry
- deference
- suavity
- graciousness
- courtesy
- tactfulness
- cordiality
- respect
- suaveness
- affability
3
as in nerve
shameless boldness the woman was shocked by the sauce of the child who ran right up to her and asked for money Synonyms & Similar Words
- nerve
- gall
- crust
- sauciness
- arrogance
- brass
- cheek
- face
- brashness
- confidence
- assurance
- cheekiness
- presumption
- pertness
- effrontery
- audaciousness
- brassiness
- audacity
- chutzpah
- temerity
- presumptuousness
- nerviness
- brazenness
- hutzpa
- hutzpah
- cockiness
- chutzpa
- sass
- overconfidence
- back talk
- sanguinity
- impoliteness
- rudeness
- insolence
- ungraciousness
- impudence
- disrespect
- discourteousness
- incivility
- impertinence
- inconsiderateness
- swagger
- swash
- self-assurance
- hardihood
- inconsideration
- self-confidence
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- shyness
- modesty
- timidity
- bashfulness
- diffidence
- hesitancy
- manners
- gentility
- graciousness
- timorousness
- civility
- timidness
- faintheartedness
- courtesy
- mannerliness
- courteousness
4
as in liquor
slang a distilled beverage that can make a person drunk as soon as she returned home from the graveyard shift, she'd be hitting the sauce Synonyms & Similar Words
- liquor
- alcohol
- drink
- booze
- rum
- bottle
- wine
- juice
- beer
- vodka
- whiskey
- spirits
- ale
- tequila
- firewater
- brandy
- aqua vitae
- grog
- tipple
- strong drink
- moonshine
- stimulant
- hooch
- ardent spirits
- intoxicant
- whisky
- potable
- lush
- cocktail
- sake
- gin
- inebriant
- belt
- pop
- liqueur
- chaser
- brew
- load
- aperitif
- shooter
- malt liquor
- mead
- slug
- snifter
- mixed drink
- digestif
- home brew
- bracer
- snort
- peg
- mum
- John Barleycorn
- tot
- microbrew
- nightcap
- mescal
- shot
- schnapps
- nip
- brewage
- whet
- nappy
- brewski
- barley-broo
- barley-bree
- saki
- mao-tai
- Dutch courage
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonintoxicant
sauce
2 of 2verb
as in to flavor
Synonyms & Similar Words
- flavor
- spice
- salt
- pepper
- enrich
- season
- enhance
- savor
- perfume
- lace
- savour
- aromatize