1
as in drinking
to take in (something liquid) through small openings
the ground quickly sponged up the much-needed rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
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
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
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But drinking them throughout the day in place of water has not been recommended for most people, researchers said.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
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Brynn, who had struggled with alcohol and cocaine abuse in the past, had recently begun drinking again after nearly a decade of sobriety.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Blue Jays have been begging for a spark for the last six games, anything to reignite an offence and bring home a win.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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From the colorful pattern to the movement of her blouse, every inch of Hudson's outfit is begging to be worn during a breezy brunch outside with friends.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sahai echoed the concern, noting that outside the Middle East, exporters were absorbing much of the increase in freight costs, with only part of it passed on to importers.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
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Each character has totally justified and totally unjustified reasons for resenting one another, and the sensation of absorbing those contrasting opinions is like being in a stuck bumper car, barraged and battered from all sides.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Scientists tracking humpbacks off the coast of Australia have captured rare footage that shows clutches of the freeloading fish peeling away from their host in what looks like a high-speed game of chicken, just moments before the whale breaches.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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The specter of freeloading corporations using more space, water, and energy for AI processing has defined the race for the 30th House of Delegates district, well outside DC.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sponging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sponging. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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