soak

verb \ ˈsōk \

|Updated on: 8 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: soak in a Sentence

Definition of soak

soaked; soaking; soaks

intransitive verb

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

2 a : 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

4 a : 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

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soaker

noun

See soak defined for English-language learners

See soak defined for kids

Examples of soak in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of soak from the Web

That rainwater has soaked into the soil where plants’ roots can absorb it and pass it up to their leaves for cooling purposes.

— beth botts, chicagotribune.com, "What does scorching heat mean for trees and plants?," 3 July 2018
In his free time and on his own dime, Huberman has soaked in an ice bath for 10 minutes.

— rebecca robbins, STAT, "A daredevil researcher’s latest quest: to restore sight lost to glaucoma using virtual reality," 2 July 2018
Courtesy of Samira Wiley Actress Samira Wiley of The Handmaid's Tale and OITNB fame decamps to the colorful California town to soak up the sun, spicy margaritas, and mountain views.

— Marie Claire, "Samira Wiley's Guide to Palm Springs," 27 June 2018
Especially today into tomorrow, periodic rains could soak us at times.

— a. camden walker, Washington Post, "D.C.-area forecast: Periodic rain likely into the weekend, probably heaviest and most widespread today," 22 June 2018
Then, soak rice in clear, lukewarm water 5 minutes, and drain. 2.

— kitty greenwald, WSJ, "Floyd Cardoz’s Spiced Asparagus With Coconut and Turmeric Rice," 21 June 2018
Energized by the roaring crowd in his first rally since the Singapore summit, Trump soaked in the applause and caustically dismissed a few protesters who tried to interrupt.

— Time, "President Trump Promotes 'Tough' Immigration Policies at Minnesota Rally After His Turnaround on Family Separation," 20 June 2018
The master bedroom, upgraded with a walk-through closet and larger bathroom that holds a Waterworks soaking tub, is on the first floor.

— marni elyse katz, BostonGlobe.com, "Once a sea captain’s cottage, this Cotuit fixer-upper brings on the charm," 15 June 2018
The outdoor deep soaking tub and shower further enhance guests’ opportunity to connect with the pristine natural surroundings.

— lindsay silberman, Town & Country, "The Best Room At...Andaz Costa Rica," 14 June 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.

Origin and Etymology of soak

Middle English soken, from Old English socian; akin to Old English sūcan to suck

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

soak Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of soak

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

soak

noun

Definition of soak

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

b : the liquid in which something is soaked

2 : drunkard

3 slang : ²pawn 2

See soak defined for English-language learners

Examples of soak in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of soak from the Web

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
The bathroom contains a full size tub for the matriarch’s morning bath, and per Royal Central, operators are sure to slow down around 7:30 a.m. to make sure the water doesn’t splash everywhere during her soak.

— dana rose falcone, PEOPLE.com, "Queen Elizabeth and Meghan Will Have a Sleepover Aboard the Royal Train for First Outing Together," 6 June 2018
Arkansas: Umbra Aquala Bathtub Caddy Who doesn't love a relaxing soak in the tub?

— perri ormont blumberg, Southern Living, "WATCH: The Most Popular Wedding Registry Picks in Every Southern State," 5 June 2018

First Known Use of soak

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SOAK Defined for English Language Learners

soak

verb

Definition of soak for English Language Learners

: 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

Definition of soak for English Language Learners

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

SOAK Defined for Kids

soak

verb \ ˈsōk \

Definition of soak for Students

soaked; soaking

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

Definition of soak for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

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