soap

noun \ ˈsōp \

|Updated on: 14 Jul 2018

Definition of soap

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 opera

See soap defined for English-language learners

See soap defined for kids

Examples of soap in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of soap from the Web

As the sun went down on her swimsuit shoot, Johnson got out the soap and turned on a 6-foot inflatable unicorn sprinkler.

— amanda kingsbury, Indianapolis Star, "Ugly. Chubby. Scarred. Hate is washed away in Indiana photographer's swimsuit shoot," 10 July 2018
Many of her pieces were intricately carved hearts that could be used as soap dishes, trivets or small catchalls for jewelry.

— ruth sowby rands, latimes.com, "On the Town: College’s ceramics sale raises funds for equipment," 4 June 2018
However, in nature, there is no running water or pre-foamed hand soap.

— brendan leonard, Outside Online, "Nature as an Airbnb: A Review," 25 May 2018
It’s joined by a stoneware soap dish (by Brooklyn ceramics studio Object & Totem, and sold at The Primary Essentials for $38).

— asad syrkett, Curbed, "The best spring home goods," 1 May 2018
Great hold for a product that is easily washed off with water and soap.

— sarah gidick, The Hollywood Reporter, "Ride Around Shinin': 6 Must-Try Body Glitter Products," 17 Apr. 2018
In her spare time Stacey enjoyed watching her children thrive in sports attending country music concerts cooking baking watching her soaps and reading.

— courant.com, "Stacey L. Clingan," 31 Mar. 2018
The crop, which once thrived in Kentucky, was historically used for rope, clothing, and mulch from the fiber, hemp milk and cooking oil from the seeds, and soap and lotions.

— bruce schreiner, The Christian Science Monitor, "McConnell leads Congress in reconsidering hemp's agricultural potential," 27 Mar. 2018
Dispersants are designed to work much like dish soap on grease.

— tristan baurick, NOLA.com, "Dispersants can turn oil spills into toxic mist, research shows," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'soap.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of soap

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

soap Synonyms

Synonyms

cleaner, cleanser, detergent;

Related Words

disinfectant, purifier, solvent;

scrub, shampoo;

soap

verb

Definition of soap

soaped; soaping; soaps

transitive verb

1 : to rub soap over or into

2 : flatter

See soap defined for English-language learners

Examples of soap in a Sentence

I soap my hair first when I take a shower.
He soaped and rinsed the car.

Recent Examples of soap from the Web

Bush soaped down her new stepchildren and outfitted them with her own kids’ clothes.

— gillian brockell, Washington Post, "Abraham Lincoln’s ‘angel mother’ and the second ‘mama’ who outlived him," 12 May 2018
Justin Jones was soaping his 309-pound body when his phone rang.

— dan woike, latimes.com, "Chargers break down where they improved most in the NFL draft and why they didn't draft a quarterback," 29 Apr. 2018
Kids strung ropes across sidewalks to trip people in the dark, tied the doorknobs of opposing apartments together, mowed down shrubs, upset swill barrels, rattled or soaped windows, and, once, filled the streets of Catalina Island with boats.

— lesley bannatyne, Smithsonian, "When Halloween Was All Tricks and No Treats," 27 Oct. 2017
Wait for the drop while getting soaped up: This party involves fives hours of EDM music, thousands of gallons of foam, flashing lights, and roughly 7,000 people.

— tarpley hitt, Philly.com, "The world's largest foam party and three other things to do down the shore, June 30-July 2," 28 June 2017
In the 1950s and 1960s, Bradley Group Showers marketed its water-saving column showers with posters of topless schoolboys happily soaping down together.

— j.y. chua, The Atlantic, "Bathing in Controversy," 2 June 2017

First Known Use of soap

1585

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SOAP Defined for English Language Learners

soap

noun

Definition of soap for English Language Learners

: a substance that is used for washing something

soap

verb

Definition of soap for English Language Learners

: to rub soap over or into (someone or something)

SOAP Defined for Kids

soap

noun \ ˈsōp \

Definition of soap for Students

: a substance that is used for washing

soap

verb

Definition of soap for Students

soaped; soaping

: to rub a cleaning substance over or into something

Medical Dictionary

soap

noun \ ˈsōp \

medical Definition of soap

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