soap

noun

\ˈsōp

Definition of soap

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

soap

verb

soaped; soaping; soaps

Definition of soap (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to rub soap over or into

2 : flatter

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about soap

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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

Armenia distilled brandy and supplied rose, geranium, and apricot extracts, two endemic botanicals shipped to Moscow where they were used in the production of soap. — Niree Noel, Allure, "The Evolution of Armenia’s Beauty Industry, According to Women Who Witnessed It," 27 July 2018 Along with promising fans a new collaboration with Justin Bieber, Khaled also touched on his decision to create a line of soap while vacationing in Mexico. — Carl Lamarre, Billboard, "DJ Khaled Teases New Song With Justin Bieber': 'It's Going to Be One of the Biggest Anthems'," 11 July 2018 For cleaning, Leanne Stapf, VP of operations, The Cleaning Authority recommends filling the blender with warm water, adding a small drop of dish soap and then turn it on for a few minutes to mix up then solution. — Nicole Spector /, NBC News, "The kitchen is the germiest room. Here's how to deep clean everything.," 3 July 2018 Their tempestuous relationship was central to many of the soap’s most dramatic plots. — Jill Lawless, Washington Post, "Leslie Grantham, ‘lovable rogue’ on British TV’s ‘EastEnders,’ dies at 71," 16 June 2018 Stalls selling shoes, handbags, toothpaste and half-price stereo systems are illuminated in the gloom, while the smell of soap mixed with cheap perfume fills the air. — The Economist, "Singapore’s Brutalist past could soon be gone," 31 May 2018 About $100 worth of soap was reported stolen May 23 by someone who took the items from Walgreens, 7200 W. North Ave., and headed away on a bicycle. — Deborah Kadin, chicagotribune.com, "Police reports: Brick thrown through window of a vehicle parked in River Grove," 30 May 2018 Ellipticals are thick, like round cakes of soap; disks are much flatter. — Adrian Cho, Science | AAAS, "Galaxy simulations are at last matching reality—and producing surprising insights into cosmic evolution," 30 May 2018 Carefully add three tablespoons of dish soap to the bottle labeled Oil+Water+Soap. — Megan Arnett, Scientific American, "Mix It Up with Oil and Water," 24 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

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

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.

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Dictionary Entries near soap

Statistics for soap

Last Updated

17 Nov 2018

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Time Traveler for soap

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

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More Definitions for soap

soap

noun

English Language Learners Definition of soap

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a substance that is used for washing something

soap

verb

English Language Learners Definition of soap (Entry 2 of 2)

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

See the full definition for soap in the English Language Learners Dictionary

soap

noun

\ˈsōp

Kids Definition of soap

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a substance that is used for washing

soap

verb

soaped; soaping

Kids Definition of soap (Entry 2 of 2)

: to rub a cleaning substance over or into something

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