sponged

Definition of spongednext
past tense of sponge
1
as in drank
to take in (something liquid) through small openings the ground quickly sponged up the much-needed rain

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2
as in begged
to live by relying on someone else's generosity or hospitality without sharing in the cost or responsibility she's been sponging off of her friends while she tries to land an entry-level job on Wall Street

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sponged
Verb
  • The first urban inhabitants drank wine, a recent archaeological survey found, after discovering the rare wine press near Tel Megiddo in Israel’s north.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The two had spent hours chatting as Shamblin drank hard ciders on a remote Texas roadside.
    Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • On Monday, McGarva begged California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot to step in.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 6 Jan. 2026
  • During that time, students trapped inside called 911 and begged for help, investigators found.
    Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Like all of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, it was filtered through charcoal before barreling, part of the Lincoln County process, but only through three feet instead of the usual 10 feet according to Fletcher (there’s less corn in the mashbill, and therefore less oil to be absorbed).
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Holding inventory becomes more expensive as carrying costs rise, and those costs either need to be recouped when selling to retailers or absorbed.
    Amalia Roy, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Sponged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sponged. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

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