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

To help soak up all this issuance, the kingdom is working to boost visibility and access among global debt investors. —Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 3 Feb. 2026

Ashes have the ability to soak up excess oil easier than water so your floors are safe to walk on again! —Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026

Don’t leave without ordering a Bar X plate of fries and dipping sauce to enjoy while soaking up the tavern’s wide range of cocktails, beers, and wines. —Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026

Chicken thighs and rice soak up all the flavor in the oven. —Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for soak up

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