1
chiefly dialectal
: a piece of food dipped or steeped in a liquid
2
: a conciliatory or propitiatory bribe, gift, or gesture
standard operating procedure; standing operating procedure
Synonyms
Examples of sop in a Sentence
Noun
as a sop to the teachers' union for supporting his reelection campaign, the mayor promised to push for the abolition of the residency requirement
Verb
sopped the sponge with the detergent and began scrubbing the floor vigorously
my book fell in the swimming pool and was thoroughly sopped before I could fish it out
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 14 Sep. 2023
And where air can flow, things such as shirts and trousers are less likely to stick to the body and sop with sweat.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 31 May 2023
In addition to these terrible ideas, the governor has persisted in derailing any public debate on climate by loudly insisting on overhauling the state’s bail reform laws, a sop to deceptive right-wing rhetoric on crime.
—Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 6 Apr. 2023
The budget, the last of Ismail’s administration before polls, will make up for tax concessions by trimming subsidies next year, targeting them at the most-needy instead of blanket sops provided earlier to shield citizens from high inflation.
—Anisah Shukry, Bloomberg.com, 7 Oct. 2022
The donutlike gram fritters are fluffy sops for the sauces.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
Forgiveness is a sop to a narrow class of people.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 26 Aug. 2022
While analysts largely dismissed it at as a sop to the Kremlin, China is nevertheless positioning itself as a potential broker for a future cease-fire.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2023
This is what modern social science looks like, and the idea that the best route to new knowledge involves one type of output, a traditional method, or limited public engagement is a sop.
—Philip N. Howard, Wired, 26 Feb. 2021
Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 30 July 2023
For the year, Washington may still be running a rainfall deficit, but Sunday helped reveal July as sopping wet so far, with days of sprinkle and shower, downpour and deluge.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 10 July 2023
The tedious chore has met its match with these gadgets that not only swiftly rid floors of dirt and debris, but some even come equipped as two-in-one models, which include a nifty mopping component for effectively sopping wet messes.
—Wendy Vazquez, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2023
Give it bright indirect light, and keep it slightly moist but not sopping wet.
—Kate McGregor, housebeautiful.com, 21 Apr. 2023
Serve with plenty of bread to sop up the sauce.
—Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9 June 2021
However, structural features in the fiber’s interior, called salt linkages, can sop up copious amounts of moisture in vapor form.
—Margaret Shakespeare, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2015
Not a single drop penetrated through my clothes nor was I left sopping wet.
—Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 1 Apr. 2023
Go for sizzling barbecue platters loaded with seekh kebab, beef bihari and chicken boti, sop up a creamy and fiery fish tikka masala or on-the-bone goat korma with hot and fresh tandoor baked naan.
—Brooke Viggiano, Chron, 31 Mar. 2023
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Noun
Maybe the speaker will be able to do both at once—many observers see the impeachment push as a McCarthy sop to get his right flank to agree to fund the government—but that seems unlikely, especially given his precarious perch as House speaker.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 14 Sep. 2023
And where air can flow, things such as shirts and trousers are less likely to stick to the body and sop with sweat.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 31 May 2023
In addition to these terrible ideas, the governor has persisted in derailing any public debate on climate by loudly insisting on overhauling the state’s bail reform laws, a sop to deceptive right-wing rhetoric on crime.
—Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 6 Apr. 2023
The budget, the last of Ismail’s administration before polls, will make up for tax concessions by trimming subsidies next year, targeting them at the most-needy instead of blanket sops provided earlier to shield citizens from high inflation.
—Anisah Shukry, Bloomberg.com, 7 Oct. 2022
The donutlike gram fritters are fluffy sops for the sauces.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2023
Forgiveness is a sop to a narrow class of people.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 26 Aug. 2022
While analysts largely dismissed it at as a sop to the Kremlin, China is nevertheless positioning itself as a potential broker for a future cease-fire.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2023
This is what modern social science looks like, and the idea that the best route to new knowledge involves one type of output, a traditional method, or limited public engagement is a sop.
—Philip N. Howard, Wired, 26 Feb. 2021
Verb
No plant likes to be sopping wet, and the average houseplant (especially succulents) prefers to dry out a little before watering.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 30 July 2023
For the year, Washington may still be running a rainfall deficit, but Sunday helped reveal July as sopping wet so far, with days of sprinkle and shower, downpour and deluge.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 10 July 2023
The tedious chore has met its match with these gadgets that not only swiftly rid floors of dirt and debris, but some even come equipped as two-in-one models, which include a nifty mopping component for effectively sopping wet messes.
—Wendy Vazquez, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2023
Give it bright indirect light, and keep it slightly moist but not sopping wet.
—Kate McGregor, housebeautiful.com, 21 Apr. 2023
Serve with plenty of bread to sop up the sauce.
—Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9 June 2021
However, structural features in the fiber’s interior, called salt linkages, can sop up copious amounts of moisture in vapor form.
—Margaret Shakespeare, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2015
Not a single drop penetrated through my clothes nor was I left sopping wet.
—Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 1 Apr. 2023
Go for sizzling barbecue platters loaded with seekh kebab, beef bihari and chicken boti, sop up a creamy and fiery fish tikka masala or on-the-bone goat korma with hot and fresh tandoor baked naan.
—Brooke Viggiano, Chron, 31 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sop.' 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 soppe, from Old English sopp; akin to Old English sūpan to swallow — more at sup
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of sop was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing sop
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Dictionary Entries Near sop
Cite this Entry
“Sop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sop. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
sop
1 of 2 noun1
chiefly dialect
: a piece of food dipped or soaked in a liquid (as bread dipped in milk or gravy)
2
: a bribe or gift for soothing or winning approval
sop
2 of 2 verb
sopped; sopping
1
a
: to soak or dip in or as if in liquid
b
: to wet thoroughly
2
: to mop or soak up
sopping up gravy with bread
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