as in bribes
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 soaks
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 wets
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 dips
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sops
Noun
-
Multiple figures within the sport have alleged, under oath, that members of FIFA accepted bribes in exchange for giving the World Cup to Qatar, a nation that has also been accused of facilitating human rights abuses of the migrant workers who built the country’s stadiums.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026 -
Nguyen, who won Do’s seat after his resignation, said the money should be used to specifically support residents who were deprived of services funded by the $10 million in pandemic relief money that Do had directed to nonprofits after receiving bribes.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
After baking, the cake (which starts with a white cake mix) gets poked all over and drizzled with frozen lemonade concentrate, which soaks into every crevice.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 June 2026
-
The fast-absorbing formula soaks into the skin to deliver moisture without causing irritation to sensitive skin under your eyes.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Another Pearl Girl wets herself when the Eyes come for Thalia.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
-
Spray wets leaves and in the cool hours, leaves are susceptible to deadly molds and mildew.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The album is structured to trace the arc of a relationship, which means that the second half dips into the heartbreak we’re used to getting from Rodrigo.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
Subduction zones—places where one plate is diving below another—are where the very largest quakes occur because the fault dips down at a shallow angle, creating a larger area of slip, Jones explains.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Then there's the sun, whose light saturates the atmosphere from dawn until dusk, shielding the cosmos from our sight.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Otherwise, water saturates the soil and kills plants.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Drenching the nest and surrounding area with water drowns workers and possibly the queen, which disrupts the colony.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
10 June 2026
-
The more militants are killed, the deeper the city drowns in militant Shia iconography.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Cinematographer Paul Guilhaume drenches the film in dark blues and grainy blacks, as deeply unsettling as Cristina’s canvases.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
-
Soil drenches or granular applications of systemic insecticides, such as imidacloprid or dinotefuran, will last longer and help prevent future infestations of aphids.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
After each print, the machine washes the leftover pigment from its gears, turning the once distinctly red and blue dyes into an oozing purple liquid.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
-
Or take Doofy Gilmore (Dave Sheridan), a lisping dimwit geek who washes with his own spit.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
4 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Sops.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sops. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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