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

Enjoy this roast with a side of mashed potatoes or a crusty bread or dinner roll to soak up the extra sauce. —Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2025

Gomez celebrated her bachelorette party in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where the Grammy nominee and her friends were spotted dancing and soaking up the sun on a luxury yacht. —Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025

Glasnow was followed Saturday by left-hander Andrew Heaney, promoted from Triple-A Oklahoma City for the purposes of soaking up the extra innings. —Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025

That soil barrier soaks up the nutrients from the water, preventing them from entering the White River watershed. —Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 25 Sep. 2025

Rhymes for soak up

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