soak up

phrasal 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

Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo soaked up his time at the pop-up, recording content with multiple TikTokers. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 24 Feb. 2026

Every year, people from all over the Northeast flock to the Jersey Shore to soak up the sun on one of the region's wide stretches of sand. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2026

Set the scene Just a 10-minute drive from the airport and 15 minutes from Palma, Son Molí Country House is the perfect option for those looking to soak up rural Mallorca while indulging in the capital's cultural and gastronomic highlights. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026

Chill it for eight to 24 hours so the bread can soak up the flavors. —Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for soak up

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