sponged

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sponged
Verb
  • Her father drank apple juice, romped in the garden, and remembers his time in Madras fondly.
    Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • On the west coast of Mexico, Michael Giardina, a Navy veteran, sat cross-legged on a cushion, and drank tea made with ground up psychedelic mushrooms.
    Will Croxton, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In 2020, it was set to be bulldozed, until Mowery begged to give her three months.
    Lee Cowan, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Still, Harbaugh was encouraged that at the end of Thursday’s marathon practice, his players actually begged him for one extra play in the red zone.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The mortgage has been calculated, insurance and taxes considered, and closing costs absorbed.
    Dan Bray, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • As a preteen, I became absorbed in the life of Davy Crockett, Wild Bill Hickok and others through stories written for my age group.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sponged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sponged. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on sponged

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster