Thesaurus results for SPONGING

sponging

verb

present participle of sponge

as in drinking

to take in (something liquid) through small openings the ground quickly sponged up the much-needed rain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in begging

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

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Recent Examples of sponging In the collision of spice, sharpness and seedy crunch, and in the sponging way potatoes soak up butter, the intensity never seems like too much. —

Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026 While the sponging industry has diminished over the years (largely because most modern-day consumers use artificial versions for dish scrubbing and housecleaning), there’s still a considerable market for the natural ones, especially in Europe. —

Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sponging

Verb

The weather service suggests drinking plenty of fluids, staying indoors with air-conditioning and out of the sun, and checking up on relatives and neighbors.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
The couple had been drinking at a Westlake Village cantina and were heading to Grossman’s home to watch a presidential debate.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026