as in parasites
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
finally told the sponge to move out of their house and to get a job
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Recent Examples of sponges
Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
Makeup sponges, on the other hand, hold bacteria, Frankel pointed out.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Plants act like sponges, Martineau explained.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Back then, MOFs felt like magical sponges, and that sense of wonder never left me.
—Stavroula Alina Kampouri, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
The first animals to inhabit the Earth may have been sea sponges, a new study by geochemists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has suggested.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
One of the main reasons for the vast difference is that toilets are made of non-porous material, whereas sponges are highly porous and inviting for germs.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
As for makeup, think about precision tools, micro brow pencils, fine-tip liquid liner, beauty sponges for blending.
—Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
Head to Amazon now to snag Wright’s Copper Cream to make your pieces sparkle, plus shop copper cookware, non-abrasive sponges, and microfiber cloths to add extra shine to your products.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
There are many ideas floating around about the best way to clean windows, from using newspaper to squeegees to sponges.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
Makeup sponges, on the other hand, hold bacteria, Frankel pointed out.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025
Plants act like sponges, Martineau explained.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Back then, MOFs felt like magical sponges, and that sense of wonder never left me.
—Stavroula Alina Kampouri, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2025
The first animals to inhabit the Earth may have been sea sponges, a new study by geochemists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has suggested.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
One of the main reasons for the vast difference is that toilets are made of non-porous material, whereas sponges are highly porous and inviting for germs.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
As for makeup, think about precision tools, micro brow pencils, fine-tip liquid liner, beauty sponges for blending.
—Essence, 18 Sep. 2025
Head to Amazon now to snag Wright’s Copper Cream to make your pieces sparkle, plus shop copper cookware, non-abrasive sponges, and microfiber cloths to add extra shine to your products.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sponges
Noun
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These methods sort through the DNA in a sample looking for specific genes that are signatures of parasites like pinworms, as well as bacterial pathogens.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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Extreme temperatures, parasites, viruses, fungi, and bacteria are also major dangers.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Godolkin’s actual body is only able to eat applesauce, which makes sense in light of its condition, but Cipher drinks those shakes.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
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Civic leaders, this week, chalked up Sacramento’s first two to-go drinks events as early successes, and paved the way for more.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In between bickering with Rodgers and pining for a young would-be protégé named Elizabeth, played by Margaret Qualley, Hart gossips to the bartender—Eddie, portrayed by Bobby Cannavale—and begs him for just one more pour.—
Kyle McGovern,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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The Babadook begs for a sequel, but director Jennifer Kent is mostly positive that won't happen.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Once the workplace of Revolutionary War figure General Hugh Mercer, the recreated 18th-century pharmacy and doctor’s office is filled with tinctures, leeches, and surgical tools, all explained by costumed interpreters.—
Madeline Weinfield,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
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The small-mouth bass go for the leeches, too.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The most common isotope, plutonium-239, is produced when the most common isotope of uranium, uranium-238, absorbs a neutron and then quickly decays to plutonium.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
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Key Takeaways Spinach is high in iron, but the body absorbs it less easily than iron from meat.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sponges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sponges. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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