soak 1 of 2

soak

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to gouge
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services a merchant who soaks the tourists every summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in to drink
to partake excessively of alcoholic beverages depressed about his love life, he repaired to a bar to soak

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of soak are drench, impregnate, saturate, and steep. While all these words mean "to permeate or be permeated with a liquid," soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.

soak the garment in soapy water

When might drench be a better fit than soak?

In some situations, the words drench and soak are roughly equivalent. However, drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured.

clothes drenched by a cloudburst

Where would impregnate be a reasonable alternative to soak?

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

a cake strongly impregnated with brandy

When could saturate be used to replace soak?

The synonyms saturate and soak are sometimes interchangeable, but saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held.

a saturated sponge

When can steep be used instead of soak?

While in some cases nearly identical to soak, 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 soak
Noun
The sun-deck Jacuzzi delivers the soaks with exceptional views, while the tiered main deck aft with steps leading to the water’s edge heighten onboard livability. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 17 Mar. 2025 Rest and relaxation are otherwise encouraged via the design itself, from the warm woods that wrap around the place to the open design that prioritizes open spaces for roaming, lots of windows for peering outside, and a bathroom with a massive tub for taking a good long soak. Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
Morton says aromatherapy or a bath salt soak with lavender and chamomile can help physically release muscle tension and relax the nervous system. Anna Haines, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025 More last-minute gifts for Mother’s Day Let Mom soak away her stress and worries with Lifearound2angels Bath Bombs Gift Set. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for soak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soak
Noun
  • Tracker's season 2 finale centers primarily on the disappearance of Bill Weaver (Brian Keane), a local restaurateur and recovering alcoholic.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 12 May 2025
  • Delia is a recovering alcoholic, after all, and with the scent Erivo could carry that past with her as well as a certain amount of freshness that comes with working on an apple farm.
    Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Research the local market to see if there’s room for growth or if the market is already saturated.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • But later that year, Republicans saturated campaigns with ads about gender, including attacks on Biden administration policies.
    Sam Gringlas, NPR, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • And this is not a story of corporate greed run amok, because Walmart would be foolish to try to gouge its customers at a time when economic anxiety is high (more on that in a moment).
    Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
  • Coogler opens with traumatized sharecropper Sammie (impressive newcomer Miles Caton), smeared with blood and fresh claw marks gouged into the side of his face, staggering mid-service into the church where his father preaches, clutching his guitar.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Once seedlings are visible, water from below and, throughout the growth of your plants, never wet the foliage to minimize mildew development.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 15 May 2025
  • My clothes were wet with sweat on the inside and wet on the outside from a mixture of rain, snow and sleet, and some of the mist was freezing on the trees.
    Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • Crumble Smith recommends using half your body weight as a starting point to figure out how many ounces per day to drink.
    Alyssa Hui-Anderson, Verywell Health, 16 May 2025
  • The 2018 vintage is exceptional and is drinking perfectly right now.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • In the play’s finest scene, a sympathetic drunk (Trevor Fox) tries to reel Moat back from his horrors.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2025
  • That’s different from dealing with homosexual drunks.
    Bryan Washington, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Except the music playing her off the stage drowns out his name!
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 7 May 2025
  • Her 14-year-old brother drowned, according to authorities, and her father is in a coma.
    Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • Suarez is getting stung here and there, but the last two rounds the challenger is landing a bit cleaner.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
  • Additionally, getting stung by an Asian needle ant can be dangerous due to the life-threatening anaphylaxis that a sting can trigger.
    Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Soak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soak. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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