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

Unlike your average bath towel that can get soggy after use, this one actually soaks up water without weighing it down. —Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 23 Sep. 2025

The secondary maturation is longer than the first release, moving from about eight months to a total of 15 months in Maison Ferrand Cognac casks to soak up flavor, and the whiskey was bottled at 107 proof. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 22 Sep. 2025

Combining a vacation and a Bad Bunny concert was an enticing opportunity for many devotees, who hoped to soak up the island that’s so central to his artistic identity. —Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2025

Loge, which stands for Live Outside, Go Explore, is for the adventure traveler ready to fly through fresh powder, hit the trails, or soak up some rays while tubing on the Deschutes River. —Lauren Jones, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2025

Rhymes for soak up

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