soap

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a cleansing and emulsifying agent made usually by action of alkali on fat or fatty acids and consisting essentially of sodium or potassium salts of such acids
b
: a salt of a fatty acid and a metal
2

soap

2 of 2

verb

soaped; soaping; soaps

transitive verb

1
: to rub soap over or into
2

Examples of soap in a Sentence

Noun Make sure you use soap and water to wash your hands. The store sells many different brands of liquid soaps. Her first acting job was on a soap. Verb I soap my hair first when I take a shower. He soaped and rinsed the car.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
To use, dilute ¼ cup of soap per one gallon of water before mopping. Andrea Wurzburger, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Nov. 2023 This is coupled with good hand hygiene, including washing hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, or using hand sanitizer when hand washing isn't available. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 22 Nov. 2023 While soap brows have been trending since the pandemic, Spanish singer Rosalía just turned the volume (and her brows) all the way up for the Latin Grammy Awards. Glamour, 17 Nov. 2023 Recipients are barred from using SNAP benefits for products such as pet food, alcohol, and household items such as paper and soap. Eden Villalovas, Washington Examiner, 14 Nov. 2023 The sheriff also agreed to place high-risk people in more protective housing, to expand access to testing, to distribute masks consistent with federal health standards and to ensure regular access to soaps and cleaning supplies. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Nov. 2023 And when they’re done, there’s an auto clean function that will clean the interior with a little warm water and soap. Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 14 Nov. 2023 Irritants may include soaps and detergents.7 Ingredients in makeup and skincare products might trigger symptoms in people with facial eczema. Anthea Levi, Health, 14 Nov. 2023 Very lightly dampen a microfiber cloth with water and mild soap for leather cases. Fox News, 14 Nov. 2023
Verb
Set up an assembly line from soaping and scrubbing to rinsing to drying. Genevieve Ko, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023 There’s also no need to soap yourself up twice in one day, my cousin reminds me. Byalexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 21 July 2023 The Labigo Cordless Spin Scrubber makes cleaning easy, according to shoppers, eliminating the need to hunch over the bathtub and tirelessly tend to soap scum and hard water stains. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2023 This high-efficiency appliance has a unique two-stage detergent dispenser that releases soap in two different stages for more efficient cleaning power. Camryn Rabideau, Popular Mechanics, 25 Jan. 2023 Fill a large bucket or basin up with water, then use a cup to pour the water over your head once or twice to get wet and soap up, and another scoop or two to rinse off. Kaelyn Lynch, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2021 Some chose to soap up the bottoms of their tube, while others extended their arms and legs in hopes of being aerodynamic. Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 5 July 2021 The original idea had also been bolstered by Ochoa’s own pre-filmmaking experience as a journalist wondering what went on behind the frosted glass and soaped up windows of north London’s secretive-looking Greek and Turkish social clubs. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Apr. 2020 While not as effective as soap, hand sanitizer provides quick and easy cleaning should soap and water not be readily available. Sarah Midkiff, refinery29.com, 18 Mar. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sope, from Old English sāpe; akin to Old High German seifa soap

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of soap was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near soap

Cite this Entry

“Soap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soap. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

soap

1 of 2 noun
1
: a substance that is usually made by the action of alkali on fat, dissolves in water, and is used for washing
2
: a salt of a fatty acid
3

soap

2 of 2 verb
: to rub soap over or into

Medical Definition

soap

noun
1
: a cleansing and emulsifying agent made usually by action of alkali on fat or fatty acids and consisting essentially of sodium or potassium salts of such acids
2
: a salt of a fatty acid and a metal

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