drenching

verb

present participle of drench
1
as in wetting
to make wet we were drenched by the sudden rainstorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in soaking
to wet thoroughly with liquid when using the carpet shampooer, wet but do not drench the carpet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 drenching The breakfast buffet is a must to gain the energy to hike the trails through drenching spray later. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Heavy rain was already drenching parts of the region Tuesday morning and causing flooding. — Martín Silva Rey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026 Category 5 Hurricane Polo will impact Baja California early next week, and splash New Mexico and western Texas with drenching rains soon after. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026 Bad Paint Choices and Jobs Buyers can get turned off by overly bold paint colors, whether on a single focal wall or drenching an entire room. — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 21 Sep. 2026 Whether any storms billow up over the area this weekend is hard to pinpoint, but the potential is there for localized drenching downpours. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 The recent two-month onslaught of drenching rains and destructive tornados that ravaged both the south suburbs and northwest Indiana was bad enough. — Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 Consider using the hue on foundational elements like tile, brick, bookshelves, wainscoting, or in color-drenching applications in small spaces like a mudroom or powder bath. — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Aug. 2026 While salicylic acid has a reputation for drying out skin, the triple ceramide complex in this cream counteracts that by drenching skin in long-lasting moisture—up to a full day—after application. — Mary Honkus, Glamour, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drenching
  1. wetting
  2. soaking
  3. drowning
  4. saturating
  5. washing
  6. impregnating
  7. flooding
Verb
  • Havenith said deliberately wetting clothing can provide evaporative cooling, including for older adults who may not sweat as effectively.
    — Aya Diab, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • For best results, water deeply at the base of the plant, allowing moisture to soak into the root zone rather than wetting the foliage, says Kelly Funk, president and CEO of Jackson & Perkins.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of wetting
Verb
  • Last winter destroyed thousands of tents in Gaza, soaking clothes, mattresses, and bedding, even as Save the Children reported that Israel was blocking critical aid such as tent poles, winter clothes, and blankets.
    — Mosab Abu Toha, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2026
  • There are also two shallow soaking pools to enjoy—one acts as a wave pool, emulating the rocking of the ship.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of soaking
Verb
  • Forecasters also expect strong rip currents and dangerous waves, which increase the risk of drowning for people swimming at the beach.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Workers and employers are drowning in their health insurance premiums.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of drowning
Verb
  • Hazardous floods could occur if back-to-back storms dump heavy rains over several days, saturating the soil in the mountains and filling reservoirs.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Fortunately, labels both affordable and luxury are coming out with new takes on this trend like clockwork, saturating the market with colorful jackets for every personal aesthetic and practical need under the sun (or, more accurately, the rain).
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of saturating
Verb
  • Americans aren't only paying more for food amid stubbornly high inflation — the cost of washing it down has also surged.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The facility lacked sanitizer and dishes were not sanitized after washing with soap.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of washing
Verb
  • Its most recent seasons took a decidedly anti-Trump turn, featuring a caricature of the president impregnating Satan.
    — David K. Li, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But Niall arguably commits the deepest betrayal by sleeping with Ruben’s fiancée, Mona (Amy Manson), impregnating her, and keeping that information from Ruben for years.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
Definition of impregnating
Verb
  • Two of the strongest El Niños in the last 75 years, in 1982-83 and 1997-98, were associated with extensive damage to the Southern California coast, battering homes, flooding streets and damaging piers.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The making of monsters The Cornell gang rape investigation flooding social media outlets and news coverage and fueling a lot of discussions actually took place in 2024.
    — Stephanie Jones, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of flooding

Browse Nearby Words

drenches
drenching
dress
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Cite this Entry

“Drenching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drenching. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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