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

The beauty world has come up with a solution: eye masks soaked in serum that promise to brighten our undereyes, smooth any fine lines, and deflate puffy bags in 20 minutes flat. — Rachel Nussbaum, Glamour, "11 Eye Patches That’ll Make Monday Mornings Look a Little Less Rough," 29 Oct. 2018 For Yara's face, Emily applied a foundation using a Beautyblender soaked in SK-II facial treatment essence. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Emmys 2018: Yara Shahidi Wore Lipstick as Eyeshadow," 18 Sep. 2018 For the accent nail, Elle used LeChat Nails' Dare to Wear in Black Velvet, a creamy black, and crafted the martini glass from Swarovski crystals soaked in polish and let dry for best application. — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "Blake Lively's Nail Art at the 'A Simple Favor' Premiere Had a Secret Reference to the Film," 12 Sep. 2018 Using a cloth soaked in vegetable oil, rub the entire surface of the pan, including the exterior. — Lauren Smith, Good Housekeeping, "How to Clean Cast Iron the Right Way," 27 Aug. 2018 To cool the dog, spray them with cool (not cold) water or place sopping towels soaked in cool water over the dog's body. — Jennifer Williams, Fox News, "The Daily Spike: How to protect dogs from summer heat stroke," 3 Aug. 2018 In my bathroom at home, a luxurious skin-care practice might involve a tiny, precious $80 vial of vitamin C serum, a hefty tub of thick, ultra-hydrating moisturizer, or a Korean sheet mask soaked in hyaluronic acid. — Gray Chapman, SELF, "How Hikers Do Skin-Care on Long Backpacking Trips," 28 July 2018 Meanwhile, mince soaked bread and 10 ounces reserved chicken meat and skin. — Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, "The Secret to This Dish's Deep Flavor," 18 Oct. 2018 There are quite a few ways to clean your stones, including soaking them in salt water (more on salt soon), bathing them in moonlight, or smudging them (see above). — Alyssa Nassner, Curbed, "Cleansing 101: Keeping your home’s energy in check," 17 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

When you’re done soaking up the view, feel free to take a soak in the hot tub room located on the lower level, or maybe stroll on over to the barn which doubles as a garage and a potting shed. — Alex Bazeley, Curbed, "1790 country house blending modern and rustic charm asks $800K," 16 July 2018 Water weekly to establish and then deep soak once a month once well established. — Earl Nickel, San Francisco Chronicle, "Evergreen dogwood: Some bark and lots of blooms," 18 May 2018 After a delicious meal, go for a soak in the rooftop Jacuzzi. — Susannah Rigg, Condé Nast Traveler, "19 Best Boutique Hotels in Mexico City," 27 Feb. 2018 Try Giorgio Armani's watery serum with hyaluronic acid, which is applied with a cotton pad and soaks in right away, before Philosophy's creamy SPF in the morning and Dr. Brandt DNA Dream Night Cream ($135) before bed. — Katie Becker, Harper's BAZAAR, "How To Get Gorgeous Skin at Every Age," 5 Oct. 2015 This date, complete with a soak in a hot tub after their camel ride, was quite steamy but also predictable. — Lisa Bonos, chicagotribune.com, "On 'The Bachelorette,' Jordan the villain goes home but insecure Chris gets to stay," 26 June 2018 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

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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Statistics for soak

Last Updated

8 Dec 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