soak

verb

\ ˈsōk

soaked; soaking; soaks

Definition of soak

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to lie immersed in liquid (such as water) : become saturated by or as if by immersion

2a : to enter or pass through something by or as if by pores or interstices : permeate

b : to penetrate or affect the mind or feelings —usually used with in or into

3 : to drink alcoholic beverages intemperately

transitive verb

1 : to permeate so as to wet, soften, or fill thoroughly

2 : to place in a surrounding element (such as liquid) to wet or permeate thoroughly

3 : to extract by or as if by steeping soak the dirt out

4a : to draw or take in by or as if by suction or absorption soaked up the sunshine

b : to intoxicate (oneself) by drinking alcoholic beverages

5 : to cause to pay an exorbitant amount

soak

noun

Definition of soak (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : the act or process of soaking : the state of being soaked

b : the liquid in which something is soaked

2 : drunkard

3 slang : pawn entry 2 sense 2

Other Words from soak Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about soak

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Choose the Right Synonym for soak

Verb

soak, saturate, drench, steep, impregnate 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 saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held. a saturated sponge drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured. clothes drenched by a cloudburst 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 impregnate implies a thorough interpenetration of one thing by another. a cake strongly impregnated with brandy

Examples of soak in a Sentence

Verb

You should soak those dirty clothes before you wash them. The beans soaked in water overnight. He relaxed and soaked in the tub. After planting the seeds, soak the soil. She soaked the dog with the hose. His shirt was soaked with sweat. I was soaked by the rain. The oil soaked into the wood. Sweat soaked through his shirt. Rain soaked through her jacket.

Noun

I had a long, hot soak in the tub. felt sorry for the town soak, who couldn't hold a job

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Anchorage fire officials lifted a municipal burn ban Wednesday as soaking rains and cool weather reduced fire danger. — Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage burn ban eased amid cool and rainy weather," 12 July 2018 The soaking wet woman, Cynthia Strunk, 67, and her husband, Shannon, 53, had been watching the wedding preparations from their beachfront home all morning. — Hannah Natanson, Washington Post, "A storm was ruining this beach wedding. Then a total stranger made the bride an offer.," 12 July 2018 Videos from the news site show staffers working to mop up the rain from the leaky hospital roof, which soaked X-ray rooms and hallways. — Alex Harris, miamiherald, "Beryl flooded hundreds of homes, left 130,000 without power in the Dominican Republic," 10 July 2018 Orly’s slices up a bunch of white and yellow onions and tosses them in for a long pickle brine soak. — Chuck Blount, San Antonio Express-News, "52 Weeks of BBQ: Orly’s BBQ," 6 July 2018 Houstonians with plans to cookout and play corn hole Wednesday afternoon had to find another way to celebrate July 4th after heavy rains soaked the city. — Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "Houstonians react to July 4th flooding on social media," 5 July 2018 Water splashed across my feet, thoroughly soaking my shoes. — Elena Weissmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "How to go stand-up paddleboarding at Summerfest and not completely wipe out," 30 June 2018 Try incorporating a cupful or two of apple cider vinegar into a bath, and soak for 10 minutes. — refinery29.com, "Why You Should Never, Ever Cover Up A Sunburn With Foundation," 29 June 2018 Unsheltered Seattleites are more exposed to Seattle’s infamous rain tantrums, which flood tents and soak blankets and belongings, subjecting the unsheltered to a brutal frost when the temperature drops. — Dae Shik Kim Hawkins, The Atlantic, "An App for Ejecting the Homeless," 28 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Skin and body-care brand Papa & Barkley also creates THC and CBD formulated balms, bath soaks, and tension-relief patches. — Samantha Sasso, refinery29.com, "Could CBD Be The Answer To Summer's Worst Side Effect?," 30 June 2018 Some salons will use vinegar for a pre-mani soak, but that’s also a no-go, according to editorial nail artist Honey, who explains that the acid in vinegar could make your nails brittle. — Janell M. Hickman, SELF, "9 Ways to Not Ruin Your At-Home Manicure," 29 June 2018 The rogue bear enjoyed his soak last Friday, according to the Associated Press. — Ashley Hoffman, Time, "The Bear Drinking a Margarita in a Hot Tub Is Your Summer 2018 Hero," 3 July 2018 After short soak, the bear climbed out of the tub and knocked over a margarita before taking a few cheeky sips. — Gabriella Paiella, The Cut, "I Freaking Love This Margarita-Drinking Hot-Tub Bear," 3 July 2018 First, Jessie B preps her pubes with a trim, followed by a soak in the bath to soften up the hair follicles. — Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "Beauty Vlogger Jessie B Uses Olive Oil to Shave Her Bikini Line, But Is It Safe?," 12 June 2018 Return to Chamonix for a soak and a sauna in the hotel spa. — Jack Dancy, Town & Country, "How to Plan a Trip to Europe," 5 Oct. 2016 Plus, the bath bomb is made of invigorating pine, sea salt, and sandalwood for a fresh and natural-smelling soak. — Shannon Barbour, The Cut, "Attention John Mayer: There’s a New Bath Bomb," 20 June 2018 After a soak, guests head to the restaurant, which is helmed by a talented local chef, who makes fresh takes on traditional recipes such as cozido das furnas, a meat stew cooked with volcanic steam. — Gisela Williams, New York Times, "Where to Shop (and Eat) in São Miguel, Portugal," 9 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'soak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near soak

Phrases Related to soak

dripping/soaking/sopping wet

Statistics for soak

Last Updated

1 Sep 2018

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Time Traveler for soak

The first known use of soak was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for soak

soak

verb

English Language Learners Definition of soak

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to put (something) in a liquid for a period of time

: to take a long bath

: to make (someone or something) very wet with water or another liquid

soak

noun

English Language Learners Definition of soak (Entry 2 of 2)

: an act of letting something stay in a liquid for a long time in order to soften or clean it

: a long bath

See the full definition for soak in the English Language Learners Dictionary

soak

verb

\ ˈsōk

soaked; soaking

Kids Definition of soak

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to lie covered with liquid He soaked in the tub.

2 : to place in a liquid to wet or as if to wet thoroughly Soak the beans in water.

3 : to make very wet The rain soaked us.

4 : to enter or pass through something by or as if by tiny holes : permeate The water soaked into the ground.

5 : to draw in by or as if by absorption The rag soaked up the spill. She soaked up the sunshine.

soak

noun

Kids Definition of soak (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : the act or process of letting something stay in a liquid for a long time to soften or clean it

2 : a long bath

soak

noun

\ ˈsōk

Medical Definition of soak

: an often hot medicated solution with which a body part is soaked usually long or repeatedly especially to promote healing, relieve pain, or stimulate local circulation