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

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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 share of adults who drank any alcohol in the past year fell by nearly 2%, and the share who drank heavily fell by more than 8% from 2022 to 2024, according to the study.
    Avni Trivedi, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026
  • His daughter's husband, who drank heavily, toppled off his boat and drowned.
    Kamala Thiagarajan, NPR, 20 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Officers tried to move him to another cell, but the other men begged them not to, saying his song and prayer put their minds at ease.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026
  • During a bizarre San Diego break-in, a golden retriever who lives at the home begged the prowler to play.
    Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Six decades earlier, on the same grounds, a young Muhammad Ali absorbed a famous left hook from Henry Cooper late in the fourth round, then finished the fight in the fifth when the referee stopped it because of a severe cut over Cooper’s eye.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Sponged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sponged. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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