drench

Synonym Chooser

How is the word drench different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of drench are impregnate, saturate, soak, and steep. While all these words mean "to permeate or be permeated with a liquid," drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured.

clothes drenched by a cloudburst

In what contexts can impregnate take the place of drench?

The words impregnate and drench can be used in similar contexts, but impregnate implies a thorough interpenetration of one thing by another.

a cake strongly impregnated with brandy

When might saturate be a better fit than drench?

The words saturate and drench are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held.

a saturated sponge

When could soak be used to replace drench?

While in some cases nearly identical to drench, soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.

soak the garment in soapy water

When would steep be a good substitute for drench?

The meanings of steep and drench largely overlap; however, steep suggests either the extraction of an essence (as of tea leaves) by the liquid or the imparting of a quality (such as a color) to the thing immersed.

steep the tea for five minutes

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of drench On Friday, Paris’ Hotel de Guise was drenched in the house’s signature fabrics, wall coverings and its very first in-house furniture collection, which debuted during the five-day Paris Deco Off interior design event that closes Sunday. Sofia Celeste, WWD, 17 Jan. 2025 Amika Mota was drenched, bone-tired, and shaking after her first-ever pump and roll, a fire-fighting technique where the fire truck creeps toward the blaze as personnel wield the massive hose alongside it. Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 11 Jan. 2025 This past April, the designer researcher decided to drench the walls of her bedroom in Sardine from the Carte Blanche collection by Farrow & Ball and Christopher John Rogers. Sydney Gore, Architectural Digest, 3 Jan. 2025 The effect is one of complete immersion; we are drenched in Goethe’s and Germany’s past. The New Yorker, 24 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for drench 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drench
Verb
  • This keeps the plant roots wet longer and can lead to the formation of fungal diseases and root rot.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Movies like High Tension (2003) and Martyrs (2008) would have even Eli Roth wetting his knickers, and Inside is no exception.
    Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Photo : Nils Timm The primary bath comes with a soaking tub and two-person shower.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 4 Feb. 2025
  • Referencing a 1997 Gaultier look with a model wearing a boat on top of the head, Saint Sernin tapped hairstylist Guido Palau to soak their hair in gel as if drenched by a tumultuous sea.
    India Espy-Jones, Essence, 31 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Want to build an idyllic life for your Sims, or drown one of them in a freak pool accident?
    Susan Stone, NPR, 1 Feb. 2025
  • Leaving seeds in the water too long can drown the plant embryo and cause the seeds to rot.
    Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The storm arrived on Friday, saturating the northern half of California with heavy rain, as well as snow in higher elevations.
    Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025
  • The soil becomes overly saturated, the roots rot, and the plants die.
    Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Add it to your daily wash routine for best results.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2025
  • The American Academy of Dermatology Association says shingles rashes should be washed with a fragrance-free cleanser, coated with pure petroleum jelly, and covered with a clean, nonstick bandage daily until the blisters are completely healed.
    Brittany Risher, SELF, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • His second wife filed for divorce after Pete Hegseth impregnated a co-worker at a nonprofit group, according to the Times.
    Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024
  • The divorce came after Pete Hegseth reportedly impregnated a co-worker at a nonprofit group, according to the Times.
    Joyce Orlando, The Tennessean, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The massive hole in the house left the basement flooded and destroyed.
    Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
  • Virgen Viera was scanning her phone for updates about the crash when photos and videos began flooding social media.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near drench

Cite this Entry

“Drench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drench. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on drench

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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