spongy

adjective

ˈspən-jē 

spongier; spongiest

1

: resembling a sponge:

a

: soft and full of cavities

spongy ice

b

: elastic, porous, and absorbent

2

a

: not firm or solid

b

: being in the form of a metallic sponge

spongy iron

3

: moist and soft like a sponge full of water

a spongy moor

sponginess noun

Synonyms of spongy

• soft
• floppy
• squishy
• mushy

Examples of spongy in a Sentence

spongy moss covered the ground

generously pour the brandy over the cake, which is so spongy that it will absorb most of the liquid

Recent Examples on the Web

Cranberry & Jalapeño Chicken Meatballs TJ’s has a whole flavor spectrum of these spongy, scrotal meatballs. — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026

Each step sends a ripple through the spongy, thin mat, a slow undulating motion beneath your feet that surprises the senses, disorienting yet simultaneously strangely delightful. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

There’s seat-shaking violence in how the whale breaches the surface and slams its weight back down (the crafty sound design is by James Miller) and body horror in its claustrophobic, spongy inner chambers. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

For three years, as Israeli bombs made ruins of the ground, some of the trees and vines had clung to life in the spongy layer of clay below. — Ghada Abdulfattah, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spongy

• spongy moth
• spongy parenchyma

Rhymes for spongy

• bungee

Kids Definition

spongy

adjective

ˈspən-jē 

spongier; spongiest

: resembling a sponge in appearance or in ability to absorb : soft and full of holes or moisture

sponginess noun

Medical Definition

spongy

adjective

ˈspən-jē 

spongier; spongiest

: resembling a sponge

especially : full of cavities : cancellous

spongy bone

sponginess noun