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 The walls are drenched in street art and inside, lightbulbs hang from wires tied in knots, dangling over the heads of people ordering coffees and beers. Lily Radziemski, New York Times, 29 May 2025 These layers will lead the eye upward and make a yard feel properly drenched in green. 5. Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 May 2025 Some of them arrived reportedly drenched in jet fuel, the organization said. Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2025 The game was supposed to start at 5 p.m., but heavy rains moved into the area just before gametime, drenching the fields and causing the delay. Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for drench
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drench
Verb
  • His mother wet a sponge to moisten his lips and tongue.
    Stephanie Armour, Miami Herald, 29 May 2025
  • The president’s health has been the subject of speculation for years; in 2023, six journalists were arrested after they were accused of sharing a video that appeared to show the president wetting himself.
    Abdi Latif Dahir, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Cooking time: 2 hours and 30 minutes, plus overnight bean soak.
    Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
  • For stubborn stains, soak the linen in cool or lukewarm water with a small amount of oxygen bleach for up to a few hours.
    Christina Pérez, Vogue, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • Multiple adults, including the mother, were monitoring the group of children swimming when the boy drowned, deputies said.
    Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2025
  • Three kayakers, including Boswell High School senior Luke Nickens, drowned in North Texas lakes in March.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • For large campuses, redundant programing is often needed, and there may be times in which saturating a campus with an outreach initiative is warranted.
    Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • Price’s staff alleged the blaze sent a toxic plume saturated with lead and other dangerous chemicals drifting over the East Bay, before the company’s staff allegedly tried covering it up.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Consumers should also wash and disinfect any surfaces that came in contact with the eggs.
    CBS News, CBS News, 7 June 2025
  • The hilltop compound is perhaps most famous for its car museum, a nearly 24,000-square-foot showstopper built to house Lyon’s epic personal collection, with room for 70 vehicles (none included with the sale, unfortunately), as well as an auto shop and wash and gas stations.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • The 14-year-old was raped and… impregnated, and the sponsor ultimately was arrested.
    Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
  • In 1961, his 13-year-old sister Kitty accused him of raping and impregnating her, according to Fred and Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors.
    Alex Gurley, People.com, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • By Sunday, the National Guard had arrived in the city, and images of heavily armed officers confronting peaceful demonstrators, including journalists and musicians, began flooding social media.
    Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 9 June 2025
  • At a time when the demagogue Father Coughlin was flooding the radio with antisemitic hate speech, Berg offered counterprogramming.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Drench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drench. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on drench

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