as in bribe
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision
as a sop to the teachers' union for supporting his reelection campaign, the mayor promised to push for the abolition of the residency requirement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to soak
to wet thoroughly with liquid
sopped the sponge with the detergent and began scrubbing the floor vigorously
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wet
to make wet
my book fell in the swimming pool and was thoroughly sopped before I could fish it out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dip
to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid
hesitant to sop his bread in gravy, no matter how delicious, at such a formal banquet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of sop
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025
The reinstatement was an obvious sop to the gambling industry, an MLB partner, and possibly also to President Donald Trump, who lobbied for Rose’s future election into the Hall of Fame.
—Cory Franklin, Twin Cities, 1 June 2025
New Atlas, 7 Dec. 2025
This is the chili recipe for all occasions—load it up on a baked potato, sop it up with cornbread, or enjoy it on its own.
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sop
Noun
As a sop to preservationists, the university salvaged the 1848 façade and tower, keeping them freestanding and pointless, like a souvenir on a shelf.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 27 June 2025
The reinstatement was an obvious sop to the gambling industry, an MLB partner, and possibly also to President Donald Trump, who lobbied for Rose’s future election into the Hall of Fame.
—Cory Franklin, Twin Cities, 1 June 2025
Verb
The other side of the sopping wet coin is how to counter these noises.
—New Atlas, 7 Dec. 2025
This is the chili recipe for all occasions—load it up on a baked potato, sop it up with cornbread, or enjoy it on its own.
—Patricia S York, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sop
Noun
-
Alejandro Toledo, who was elected president after Fujimori, was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for receiving millions in bribes from the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht.—
CNN staff,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Prosecutors say participants in the Midas scheme squeezed nuclear company Energoatom’s contractors for bribes to complete projects, including structures to protect energy facilities from Russian airstrikes.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Make sure to use a damp mop rather than a soaking wet one, or use a floor spray designed for hardwood floors and a dry cleaning pad to clean the surface.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
For extra protection, Stowell suggests soaking strawberries in a mixture of one part white vinegar to three parts water for five to 10 minutes, then rinsing thoroughly.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When cleaning, first wet the glasses or use a lens spray before wiping.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Focus on even moisture at the soil level, and avoid wetting the flowers and the rest of the plant, if possible.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The freeze developed as the jet stream dipped sharply south during a strongly negative phase of what's called the Arctic Oscillation.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Houston Chronicle,
13 Feb. 2026
-
For observers within that path, daylight will briefly give way to darkness, temperatures will dip, and the sun's outer atmosphere — the corona — will become visible to the naked eye.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Plus, all the discourse surrounding the performance could easily drown out the subtlety of Ford’s inclusion.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Louie’s drinking was a way to drown his grief.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And don’t forget to wash everything down with El SIboney’s dangerously potent sangria.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Hundreds of residents in Tangerang, a city outside the capital, Jakarta, flock to the Cisadane River to wash their hair with rice straw shampoo and welcome the fasting month with a symbolic spiritual cleansing.—
Mariam Fam,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Shelby has traveled to Iceland, Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland, and more, immersing herself in each fashion market, respectively.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Drawing from her own experience as someone from Malaysia who grew up immersed in Singaporean culture before moving to the city-state, Yeo found personal resonance in her character’s search for home.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
However, this only happens in a biosphere that’s saturated with life; there is no guarantee that most inhabited planets would have had this occur.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Here, an easy sauce of olive oil, lemon juice, fresh rosemary, capers, and garlic saturates whole small red potatoes and crispy chicken thighs and legs in flavor.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sop. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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