soak up

verb

soaked up; soaking up; soaks up

1

: to take in (liquid) : absorb

The rag soaked up most of the water.

2

: to enjoy feeling or experiencing (something pleasant) in usually a slow or relaxed way

We went to the beach and soaked up the sun/sunshine all afternoon.

I sat at my table for an hour soaking up the atmosphere of the café.

The performers stood on the stage, soaking up the applause.

3

: to learn and remember (something) quickly

He eagerly soaked up every word she said.

She has an ability to soak up new information very quickly.

4

: to use a large amount of (money, supplies, etc.)

This project is soaking up resources that could be used elsewhere.

Examples of soak up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This allows the crumb to set before soaking up the pudding, which results in an ideal texture. — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026

Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox are soaking up the sun on a yacht off the coast of Mallorca. — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Each spoonful was rich and silky, with creamy vanilla pudding coating tender banana slices and vanilla wafers that soaked up enough sweetness to become cake-like. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026

Meanwhile, Trudeau went shirtless, soaking up the sun in a pair of olive green swim trunks. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 30 July 2026

Rhymes for soak up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup