soak up

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

As the baitfish head shallow to soak up the sun, the bass won’t be far behind. —Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026

Though there’s no pool, a spacious terrace with a hot tub, a full-width deck, and a small but verdant lawn provide ample space to soak up the surrounding canyon views. —Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026

Wetlands work as barriers that soak up water from floods and storms, Neill says. —ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026

After spending a few hours soaking up the sun, sail to nearby Sandy Spit, a perfect white dune emerging from the sea that makes for a perfect castaway experience (and a perfect snap for Instagram). —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2026

Rhymes for soak up

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