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
There’s also a private bath on site that guests can reserve for a more luxurious soak. Yukari Sakamoto, AFAR Media, 27 May 2025 To continue on this casita’s theme of relaxation, there’s also a huge outdoor tub where guests can enjoy a serene soak, watching the stars turn above the hilly landscape. Kimberley Mok, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2025
Verb
More recently, Cummings has been enjoying his life as a grandfather — and fans are soaking it all in, too. Miami Herald, 7 July 2025 Overnight storms soaked parts of the Kansas City area, with the heaviest rains falling in Wyandotte County and the Northland, according to storm gauges across the metro. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for soak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soak
Noun
  • Leonard was an alcoholic whose drinking began in high school.
    Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 13 July 2025
  • Pete’s brother, a former hockey player who misses his glory days, is an alcoholic who cares for the family’s large mink farm.
    Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 15 June 2025
Verb
  • There have been major changes to feed zones this year, with rules introduced by the UCI, cycling’s world governing body, to stop major teams from saturating the route with support, putting smaller squads at a disadvantage.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 12 July 2025
  • But, these days, as influencers, artificial intelligence, and horrifying headlines saturate the internet, what’s the point of posting?
    Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • That autumn, Newsom accused oil companies of price gouging California drivers and called a special legislative session to address the spikes.
    Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2025
  • Plowshare: an agricultural implement for turning soil, for gouging a cleft in the earth.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
Verb
  • Use a garden hose or power washer to thoroughly wet the rug.
    Karen Grossman, Southern Living, 24 June 2025
  • Hysterical laughter later erupts as the camera goes closer into the bathtub to reveal the dog wetting her head under the running water from the tap.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • More Americans now use cannabis daily than drink alcohol every day.1 Public attitudes toward cannabis have shifted dramatically over the past decade, with some perceiving cannabis to be safer than alcohol.
    Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 14 July 2025
  • Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
    Don Sweeney July 14, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • What amazing feats the confidence of the drunk can accomplish.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 May 2025
  • Sometimes rough language is all a drunk can understand.
    Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • The campers drowned when their bus attempted to evacuate them and was overtaken by floodwater.
    Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
  • On Saturday in Porter County, a father, 65, and his 20-year-old son drowned in Lake Michigan.
    Sophie Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • The bees became aggressive and stung the man multiple times.
    Laura Daniella Sepulveda, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025
  • Those walking through Aurillac, a quaint French community, were stung over a 30-minute period, with three people in critical condition evacuated to a hospital.
    Ashley J. DiMella, FOXNews.com, 8 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Soak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soak. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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