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

Going to town on foot when the sap shyly starts climbing up the trees in March, and sitting in one of the coffeeshops, soaking up the sun. —Lidija Hilje july 8, Literary Hub, 8 July 2025

Now, the couple is focused on planning their wedding and soaking up every moment of their engagement. —Ashley Vega, People.com, 8 July 2025

Stay cool and soak up the warm Mexican sun at their two large infinity pools overlooking the rolling waves and Mayan coastline. —Miriam Porter, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

When a large amount of rain falls very quickly, the ground can't soak up the water. —Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 7 July 2025

Rhymes for soak up

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