lather 1 of 2

noun

ˈla-t͟hər How to pronounce lather (audio)
Definition of lathernext
1
as in foam
a light mass of fine bubbles formed in or on a liquid she worked the shampoo into a lather before rubbing it into the dog's coat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in sweat
a state of nervous or irritated concern he worked himself into a lather waiting for the results of the test

Synonyms & Similar Words

lather

2 of 2

verb

as in to lick
to strike repeatedly the farmer lathered the recalcitrant mule

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 lather
Noun
Rinse your hands with clean water to remove any loose debris, apply enough soap to make a good lather, and scrub all surfaces, including between fingers, under fingernails and above wrists. — Kimberly Baker, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 Notes of orange, grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon bring a burst of sunny citrus to every lather, while ingredients like vitamin C, chamomile, ginseng, ginger, and vitamin B5 nourish and revitalize the skin. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
In practice, the actual drama is alternatingly lathered and spread thin across the movie’s runtime. — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026 Remember, you can get sunburned on overcast days, so lather up the sunblock. — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lather
  1. foam
  2. sweat
  3. lick
  4. surf
  5. huff
  6. lash
  7. panic
  8. whip
Noun
  • That album drew Simmons’ bass and Bindeman’s drums to the fore of the mix, letting Harris’ guitar and vocals foam behind the rhythm section’s discrete peaks.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • During the launch, a chunk of insulating foam broke off of the external tank and hit the bottom of the rocket booster, leaving a huge dent.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of foam
Noun
  • But Haslem was dripping sweat after the Heat’s training camp practices this week at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
  • New Atlas recently covered an experimental smart ring developed at UC San Diego that goes beyond optical sensing entirely, analysing sweat for biomarkers including glucose and ketones.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of sweat
Verb
  • The Sox move on to Cleveland while the Cubs come home to lick their wounds.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Bombers beat the Red Sox 9-2 in Game 2 after winning the series opening game 9-0, sending New England’s hardball heroes home to lick their wounds until next spring.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • Meanwhile, a swell from Hurricane Rachel is expected to bring elevated surf of 5 to 6 feet to area beaches on Tuesday through Thursday, according to the weather service forecast.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Rachel’s swells are expected to generate life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions off Mexico’s coast, the NHC warned.
    — Fabiola Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of surf
Noun
  • Devers walked back to the dugout in a huff.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
  • Not everyone feels the same way, however, and some progressive parents and staff are in a huff.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2026
Definition of huff
Verb
  • San Diego lashed 30 of his 88 pitches for fouls, as Misiorowski’s command and velocity escaped him in the second inning.
    — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • An intruder pressed a knife to Beatty's neck, wrapped her face in tape, lashed her to a bed and assaulted her for hours.
    — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of lash
Noun
  • The aircraft plunged thousands of feet in two minutes, causing panic and forcing the flight to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
    — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • After roughly two days of investigation, police informed the public the entire panic was driven by a hoax.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of panic
Verb
  • My opponent should be condemning political violence, not whipping it up.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In whipping rain and wind in New Jersey, the New York Giants held on for a 12-7 win in their first game since quarterback Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of whip

Phrases Containing lather

Browse Nearby Words

latest
lather
lathered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lather. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All