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

Her skin was smooth, soaking up the light; her hair was thick, long and heavy. —Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025

Use the towel to soak up excess moisture for the first 15 minutes, then remove it and hang to dry. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2025

Nearby hikes, like Thornberry Mountain, offer even more spots to soak up the sights. —Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2025

The chicken, now cut up into small pieces at the lunch hour, soaks up the broth and packs an even more flavorful punch. —Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for soak up

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