soak 1 of 2

noun

Definition of soaknext
as in alcoholic
a person who makes a habit of getting drunk felt sorry for the town soak, who couldn't hold a job

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

soak

2 of 2

verb

ˈsōk How to pronounce soak (audio)
1
as in to saturate
to wet thoroughly with liquid we ran for home as soon as the rain started, but our clothes still ended up soaked

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2
as in to gouge
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services a merchant who soaks the tourists every summer

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3
as in to wet
to make wet that downpour soaked my hair, and now I look like a sight

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4
as in to drink
to partake excessively of alcoholic beverages depressed about his love life, he repaired to a bar to soak

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word soak different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of soak are drench, impregnate, saturate, and steep. While all these words mean "to permeate or be permeated with a liquid," soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.

soak the garment in soapy water

When might drench be a better fit than soak?

In some situations, the words drench and soak are roughly equivalent. However, drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured.

clothes drenched by a cloudburst

Where would impregnate be a reasonable alternative to soak?

The words impregnate and soak can be used in similar contexts, but impregnate implies a thorough interpenetration of one thing by another.

a cake strongly impregnated with brandy

When could saturate be used to replace soak?

The synonyms saturate and soak are sometimes interchangeable, but saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held.

a saturated sponge

When can steep be used instead of soak?

While in some cases nearly identical to soak, steep suggests either the extraction of an essence (as of tea leaves) by the liquid or the imparting of a quality (such as a color) to the thing immersed.

steep the tea for five minutes

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 soak
Noun
Azure Blue Azure blue also clashes with the warm, 3000K, soft white bulb that most of us prefer for a relaxing soak. —Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026 The resort is also known for Northern Lights viewing and offers wake-up call services for guests who want to be roused from sleep when the aurora appears overhead — turning the soak into a round-the-clock experience. —Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2026
Verb
Indigenous peoples in the area have been coming there for 1000s of years to soak and take advantage of the waters, and so there’s been a hotel or some manner of resort there since the late eighteen hundreds, welcoming people to come and take the waters and relax and enjoy. —AFAR Media, 15 May 2026 To mellow its flavor, soak the slices in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain before adding to the cucumbers. —Martha Stewart, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for soak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soak
  1. alcoholic
  2. saturate
  3. gouge
  4. wet
  5. drink
  6. soaker
  7. drown
  8. sting
Noun
  • In fact, severe alcoholics may become immunocompromised.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
  • AlAnon is a support group for family and friends of alcoholics/addicts.
    — Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Definition of alcoholic
Verb
  • Instruments and voices accumulate into immense, sustained, saturating dissonances, with a snare drum cutting through the tear-gas haze.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • Again, keep it at the base of your plant, not the leaves, and use a slow, saturating soak.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 18 May 2026
Definition of saturate
Verb
  • But these concerns have not gone unnoticed, as a bill is currently making its way through the California General Assembly that aims to cap resale prices as a way to limit ticket brokers and resale platforms from price-gouging fans.
    — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 13 May 2026
  • Run a putty knife along the wet popcorn ceiling to scrape off the popcorn texture, but be careful to avoid gouging the ceiling with the corner of the putty knife.
    — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Apr. 2026
Definition of gouge
Verb
  • This one hails from Memphis and excludes a sauce altogether — although feel free to wet your ribs with whatever sauce tickles your fancy.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
  • Avoid wetting foliage when watering plants or water in the morning if using overhead sprinklers to help minimize foliar disease.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 13 May 2026
Definition of wet
Verb
  • Food and drink Amada was a standout.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
  • The new ranch comes with a coffee-drinking porch (mandatory), but it is weathered, rustic and needs work.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Definition of drink
Noun
  • Use soaker hoses on flat ground.
    — Steve Bender, Southern Living, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Maintain a mulch in the garden and use microsprinklers or soaker hoses to conserve water.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of soaker
Verb
  • The Detroit fans who stuck around until the end of the game were drowned out by the bus loads of Cavaliers fans.
    — Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 18 May 2026
  • However, the actor does most of the heavy lifting, even as Nemes’ aesthetic approach drowns the frame in striking shadows — a contrast made deep and inviting by Mátyás Erdély’s 35mm photography.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 May 2026
Definition of drown
Verb
  • Café receipts keep climbing, and the math is starting to sting.
    — Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2026
  • The Sacramento Bee gathered information on what kinds of jellyfish you can be found on the coast, whether their sting is harmful to humans and what to do if you get stung.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of sting

Phrases Containing soak

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Cite this Entry

“Soak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soak. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of soak for Spanish Speakers

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