soap

1 of 2

noun

ˈsōp 

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

soap

2 of 2

verb

soaped; soaping; soaps

transitive verb

1

: to rub soap over or into

2

: flatter

Synonyms of soap

Noun

• cleaner
• detergent
• shampoo

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

Additionally, environmental factors such as tobacco smoke, pollution, pollen, dust, pet dander, laundry soaps, fragrances and more can irritate children’s skin or breathing passages. —Dr. Daniel Digiacomo, Boston Herald, 7 June 2026

These are typically manageable with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap if caught early. —Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 7 June 2026

Verb

Adrienne prefers the convenience of soaping and rinsing a silicone band to handwashing the sweat out of a nylon one. —Kieran Alger, Wired News, 14 Apr. 2026

Trust us—you’ve never been scrubbed and soaped up so clean in your life. —Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

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

Phrases Containing soap

• bar soap
• castile soap
• green soap
• saddle soap
• soap bubble
• soap opera
• soap plant
• soap powder
• soft-soap
• toilet soap

Rhymes for soap

• cope
• dope
• grope
• lope
• mope
• nope
• rope
• scope
• shope
• slope
• stope
• swope

Kids Definition

soap

1 of 2 noun

ˈsōp 

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 opera

soap

2 of 2 verb

: to rub soap over or into

Medical Definition

soap

noun

ˈsōp 

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