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
-
Jones was federally charged in 2022 with agreeing to take bribes from a red-light camera company executive in exchange for protecting the company from adverse legislation in Springfield.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026 -
In January, federal prosecutors accused 39 college-basketball players across 17 Division I teams of taking bribes from gamblers to underperform.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bavel’s Hummus Masabacha Bavel chef-owner Ori Menashe soaks his garbanzo beans overnight then cooks them until tender.—
Restaurant Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
-
For a floral display to thrive, gentle rain that soaks directly into the soil is crucial.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Even a simple soaker hose is better than a sprinkler system that wets the foliage, which can make plants prone to blights and mildews.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Sweat that can’t escape wets a jacket’s layer of insulation and accelerates heat loss.—
Longji Cui,
The Conversation,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
How does Alabama fall down to mortal, but Ohio State never dips?—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Recorded following the filming of his latest sci-fi, Ash (whose score is some of FlyLo’s most boilerplate, Stranger-Things-backwash sounding music yet), this short, seven-song EP dips back into the frantic BPMs of his earlier releases to see if there’s any juice left in the cartridge.—
Sam Goldner,
Pitchfork,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Water pools in your eyes as serotonin saturates your nervous system.—
Maya Silver,
Outside,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Here, an easy sauce of olive oil, lemon juice, fresh rosemary, capers, and garlic saturates whole small red potatoes and crispy chicken thighs and legs in flavor.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After 81 nearly drowns during an underwater drill, the regiment leaders (played by Dennis Quaid and Esai Morales) express concern that his PTSD from losing his brother might put him at risk or affect the team.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
-
When Christina drowns herself for a second time, Baron Frankenstein is confronted by the unpredictability of stitching together dead flesh—his female creation is capable of reckoning with her past suffering.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Or, systemic insecticide treatments with dinotefuran or imidacloprid can be used as trunk sprays, trunk injections or soil drenches depending on the label.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
17 Feb. 2026
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The indulgence becomes not only possible but mandatory with Lollia’s Kiss Me Again Bubble Bath solution, which drenches skin in moisture by way of high-performing olive and avocado oils.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And believe me, a person who receives warmth, love, and care from us—who washes and styles their hair—is someone who walks back into the world feeling confident, inspired, and ready to spread kindness further.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
24 Feb. 2026
-
The meaning of consciousness is immersion in multitudinous flowing tastes, olfactory rumors, vibrations, racing to understand before the ocean washes them away, these sensations like spherical and syncopated waves crashing against her hundred tentacles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Sops.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sops. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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