- an internationally recognized distress signal in which the letters SOS are repeatedly spelt out, as by radiotelegraphy: used esp by ships and aircraft
- a message broadcast in an emergency for people otherwise unobtainable
- informal a call for help
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
SOS /ˈɛsˌoʊˈɛs/USA pronunciation n. [countable], pl. SOSs, SOS's.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- an internationally recognized distress signal, consisting of the letters SOS in Morse code.
- any call for help.
SOS,
s.o.s.,
- the letters represented by the radio telegraphic signal (••• – – – •••) used, esp. by ships in distress, as an internationally recognized call for help.
- any call for help:We sent out an SOS for more typists.
- to send an SOS.
- 1905–10
n.
v.i.
- Slang TermsSee shit on a shingle.
s.o.s.,
- Drugs(in prescriptions) if necessary.
- Latin sī opus sit
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
SOS n
'SOS' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
arioso
- basso
- calypso
- espresso
- fatso
- furioso
- lasso
- maestoso
- mafioso
- peso
- proviso
- reverso
- sargasso
- so-and-so
- torso
- verso
- virtuoso
- affettuoso
- Aglaophon of Thasos
- aviso
- chamiso
- choriso
- convex
- Dionysus
- dipso
- distress call
- expresso
- gracioso
- iso
- Nessus
- reboso
- riboso
- say-so