as in bribe
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision
as a sop to the teachers' union for supporting his reelection campaign, the mayor promised to push for the abolition of the residency requirement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to soak
to wet thoroughly with liquid
sopped the sponge with the detergent and began scrubbing the floor vigorously
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wet
to make wet
my book fell in the swimming pool and was thoroughly sopped before I could fish it out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dip
to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid
hesitant to sop his bread in gravy, no matter how delicious, at such a formal banquet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of sop
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025
The reinstatement was an obvious sop to the gambling industry, an MLB partner, and possibly also to President Donald Trump, who lobbied for Rose’s future election into the Hall of Fame.
—Cory Franklin, Twin Cities, 1 June 2025
New Atlas, 7 Dec. 2025
This is the chili recipe for all occasions—load it up on a baked potato, sop it up with cornbread, or enjoy it on its own.
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sop
Noun
As a sop to preservationists, the university salvaged the 1848 façade and tower, keeping them freestanding and pointless, like a souvenir on a shelf.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025
The reinstatement was an obvious sop to the gambling industry, an MLB partner, and possibly also to President Donald Trump, who lobbied for Rose’s future election into the Hall of Fame.
—Cory Franklin, Twin Cities, 1 June 2025
Verb
The other side of the sopping wet coin is how to counter these noises.
—New Atlas, 7 Dec. 2025
This is the chili recipe for all occasions—load it up on a baked potato, sop it up with cornbread, or enjoy it on its own.
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sop
Noun
-
Federal prosecutors said Azevedo accepted a bribe to secure a contract for an affordable housing company in exchange for a cut of the sales.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Do was sentenced in June 2025 to 60 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of accepting more than $800,000 in bribes in exchange for diverting $10 million in pandemic relief money, mostly to a nonprofit that employed his daughter.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Make sure to use a damp mop rather than a soaking wet one, or use a floor spray designed for hardwood floors and a dry cleaning pad to clean the surface.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
For extra protection, Stowell suggests soaking strawberries in a mixture of one part white vinegar to three parts water for five to 10 minutes, then rinsing thoroughly.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Apply enough water to wet the soil 12 inches deep.—
Kelly Werthmann,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
To water from the top, pour water over the soil, avoiding wetting the leaves.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The freeze developed as the jet stream dipped sharply south during a strongly negative phase of what's called the Arctic Oscillation.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Houston Chronicle,
13 Feb. 2026
-
For observers within that path, daylight will briefly give way to darkness, temperatures will dip, and the sun's outer atmosphere — the corona — will become visible to the naked eye.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Nevertheless, everyone can celebrate (or drown their sorrows) with some of the free and discounted offerings at these restaurants.—
Mike Snider,
AZCentral.com,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Those videos, especially in the case of Alex Pretti’s shooting, drowned out both the slop and slick government productions.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The pollutants diminished over time — absorbed into the landscape and washed into waterways.—
Rachel Becker,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Francis says to wash your vase thoroughly with mild soapy water before adding the stems, and fill it 3/4 of the way full with lukewarm water.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As tall as a man and immersed in a sea of bracken, it is now covered in moss and disappears from sight amid summertime growth, only to reëmerge when winter arrives.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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But Carew’s main objective is to continue immersing himself ever deeper into his new craft.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That way the water has time to saturate the ground rather than evaporating or drying out quickly when peak daytime temperatures are in the 80s and 90s in Miami.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
-
In this foyer, everything from the walls to the millwork to the doors and the balusters are saturated in White Dove.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sop. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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