1
as in drinking
to take in (something liquid) through small openings
the ground quickly sponged up the much-needed rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sponging
Verb
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Some people find that drinking it on an empty stomach, such as before breakfast, can also lead to digestive upset or acid reflux.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
4 Sep. 2025 -
They're instructed to wait 30 minutes before eating, drinking or taking other oral medicines.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As summer winds down and your strands have endured heatwaves, pool days, and sweaty workouts, your curls might be begging for a break.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
4 Sep. 2025
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If anything, people were begging me to stop.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mechanical engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a new framework that speeds up the design of shock-absorbing foam materials, used in everything from sports and military helmets to spacecraft landing struts.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
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Treasury markets, already under strain from persistent deficits and weak auction demand, now face prospect of absorbing the largest unplanned government financing operation in modern history.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Sponging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sponging. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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