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

The farm holds three sessions each morning, giving the animals a chance to soak up attention—and guests a chance to get close. — Wakisha Bailey, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

The show’s lead Miku Martineau and her pack of rowers hit the open water to soak up as much information about the sport as possible. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026

Photosynthetic organisms use arrays of pigments and proteins called light-harvesting complexes to soak up light. — Elise Cutts, Quanta Magazine, 23 Sep. 2026

Have plenty of crusty bread or pasta ready to soak up every last bit of the sauce. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for soak up

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