souls

IPA/səʊl/
KK[sˈolz]IPA/soʊl/

souls — noun

  • soulssingular
  • soulsesplural

1. the immaterial element within a human being that various religious traditions co

1.nounB2
Definition

the immaterial element within a human being that various religious traditions consider to live on after bodily death, and that is also understood as the centre of one's true character and emotions

Example

Many Buddhists believe the soul is reborn into a new body after death.

believe + that-clause for religious/spiritual belief about the soul

Grandma said her soul would always watch over the family, even after she was gone.

possessive determiner + soul for individual spiritual essence

Common collocations
  • departed souls
  • lost souls
  • soul lives on
  • save one's soul
  • sell one's soul
  • bare one's soul
Synonyms
  • spirit

    more general — can refer to any non-physical being, not just human; 'spirit' is also used for ghosts

  • essence

    more abstract — refers to the fundamental nature of something, not necessarily spiritual or immortal

Antonyms
  • body

    the physical form, seen as separate from the soul in many belief systems

  • flesh

    literary term for the physical body as opposed to the spirit

Grammar Patterns

the soul

a/the soul of [person]

soul + verb (believed to continue)

Usage Note

This sense is most common in religious, spiritual, or philosophical contexts. The plural form 'souls' often refers to multiple individual spirits (e.g. 'the souls of the dead'). When referring to the concept itself, it is usually uncountable ('belief in the soul').

Common Mistakes

The soul is the part that thinks and feels.
Many traditions say the soul is the part of a person that thinks and feels.
Without 'say' or 'believe', the sentence presents a belief as a fact.

2. the quality of sincere emotion and deep feeling in a person's character or in a

2.nounB2
Definition

the quality of sincere emotion and deep feeling in a person's character or in a creative work, especially music, that produces a strong positive reaction in others

Example

Her voice had so much soul that the whole audience sat in silence, deeply moved.

have + so much + soul for great emotional quality

The young painter's work lacked soul — it was technically perfect but felt cold and empty.

Common collocations
  • full of soul
  • with soul
  • soul and passion
  • lack soul
  • put one's soul into
Synonyms
  • feeling

    more general and less intense — 'this painting has feeling' vs 'this painting has soul'

  • passion

    focuses on strong enthusiasm rather than deep emotion

  • heart

    similar in meaning but more informal; 'playing with heart'

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

have soul

lack soul

full of soul

put/pour soul into [noun]

Usage Note

Frequently used in reviews and critiques of performances, art, and creative work. 'Soul' in this sense cannot be made plural — you do not say 'the performance had souls'.

Common Mistakes

The singer sang with a lot of souls.
The singer sang with a lot of soul.
This sense is uncountable and cannot take a plural form.

3. a style of popular music with strong, emotional singing that developed from Afri

3.nounB1
Definition

a style of popular music with strong, emotional singing that developed from African-American gospel music and blues, and was especially popular from the mid-1900s onward

Example

The radio station played classic soul from the 1960s, like Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding.

Rachid learned to dance to soul music at his grandmother's parties when he was a child.

soul music as a genre label

Common collocations
  • soul music
  • soul singer
  • soul band
  • soul record
  • classic soul
  • play soul
  • listen to soul
Synonyms
  • rhythm and blues

    a related but broader genre with more varied tempos

  • gospel

    religious music that strongly influenced soul, but is sacred rather than popular

Grammar Patterns

soul (as noun modifier: soul music)

play/listen to soul

soul + noun

Usage Note

Used as both a standalone noun ('I love soul') and as a modifier ('soul music', 'soul singer'). When used as a modifier, it overlaps with the adjective sense but is specifically tied to the music genre.

Common Mistakes

I like to listen to souls when I drive.
I like to listen to soul when I drive.
The music genre is uncountable and does not take a plural -s.

4. a person, especially when described by the kind of character they have or the si

4.nounB1
Definition

a person, especially when described by the kind of character they have or the situation they are in

Example

The kind old soul next door often brought hot soup to sick neighbours.

adjective + old + soul for describing a person's character

Some poor soul left their wallet on the bus seat by accident yesterday afternoon.

Common collocations
  • kind soul
  • poor soul
  • brave soul
  • dear soul
  • simple soul
  • old soul
Synonyms
  • person

    neutral and more common; 'soul' adds emotional colour

  • individual

    more formal; less warm than 'soul'

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] + soul

some/poor + soul

Usage Note

Always needs an adjective or determiner before it — you cannot say 'a soul walked in' to mean 'a person walked in' (that would mean a ghost or spirit instead). Common adjectives used: 'kind', 'poor', 'brave', 'lucky', 'old', 'dear', 'simple'.

Common Mistakes

A soul told me the news this morning.
A kind soul told me the news this morning.
Without an adjective, 'a soul' sounds like a ghost or spirit, not a person.

5. no one at all; not a single person, used in negative sentences for emphasis

5.nounB1
Definition

no one at all; not a single person, used in negative sentences for emphasis

Example

When I arrived at the park at six in the morning, there was not a soul in sight.

not a soul in sight/around for 'nobody at all'

Not a soul in the whole office knew the truth about the surprise party.

Common collocations
  • not a soul
  • hardly a soul
  • never a soul
Synonyms
  • nobody

    direct synonym; 'soul' is more literary and emphatic

  • no one

    standard everyday term; 'not a soul' is more dramatic

Antonyms
  • everyone

    every single person; opposite of 'not a soul'

Grammar Patterns

not a soul

never a soul

Usage Note

Used ONLY in negative expressions. You cannot say 'A soul was there' to mean 'Someone was there'. The phrase is always 'not a soul', 'never a soul', or 'hardly a soul'.

Common Mistakes

A soul was at the door.
Not a soul was at the door.
The phrase 'a soul' meaning 'anyone' only works in negative sentences.

6. the deep awareness, pride, and emotional connection that African-American people

6.nounC1
Definition

the deep awareness, pride, and emotional connection that African-American people share through their common history, culture, and experience

Example

The museum exhibition celebrated the soul of Black America through historical photos and personal stories.

the soul of [group/culture] for shared cultural identity

Omar's poetry collection captures the soul of the African-American experience from slavery to the civil rights movement.

Common collocations
  • Black soul
  • soul of a people
  • soul of Black America
  • celebrate soul
  • capture the soul
Synonyms
  • heritage

    wider term covering all inherited traditions; 'soul' adds emotional depth

  • identity

    more general; 'soul' is specifically about cultural pride and connection

Grammar Patterns

the soul of [Black/African-American people/community]

Black soul

Usage Note

This sense is closely tied to African-American history and culture. It is often used in discussions of art, music, literature, and social movements. When capitalized (Soul), it emphasizes the cultural movement.

Common Mistakes

Soul is when Black people feel proud.
Soul in this context refers to the shared cultural identity and pride of African-American people.
This sense needs explanation rather than a simple equation.

souls — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Soul, spirit, and essence all refer to the non-physical core of a person, but they differ in scope and connotation. Soul is the most specific religious and philosophical term, often implying an immortal component that survives death. Spirit has a wider range — it can mean a ghostly being, a person's mood ('team spirit'), or the non-physical part that animates life, but does not always carry the idea of immortality. Essence is the most abstract of the three; it refers to the fundamental nature of something ('the essence of democracy') without any religious implication. In everyday use, 'body and soul' is a fixed pair, while 'mind, body, and spirit' is common in wellness contexts. For example: 'Grandma believed her soul would go to heaven' (religious framework), 'The spirit of the team was strong' (mood/morale), and 'The essence of the problem is lack of trust' (core nature).

soul ↗spirit ↗essence ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicEnglish

The word 'soul' comes from Old English 'sáwol', meaning the spiritual or immaterial part of a person. It is related to Old Saxon 'sēola', Old High German 'sēula', and Gothic 'saiwala'. The word has always been associated with life, breath, and the animating principle that distinguishes a living being from a corpse. Over centuries, 'soul' developed extended meanings beyond religion into emotional depth (15th century), personal identity ('the soul of the party', 17th century), and specifically African-American cultural identity (20th century).

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Adjective