soak
Americanverb (used without object)
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to lie in and become saturated or permeated with water or some other liquid.
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to pass, as a liquid, through pores, holes, or the like.
The rain soaked through the tear in the umbrella.
- Synonyms:
- seep
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to be thoroughly wet.
Her shoes and socks were soaking and her feet were freezing.
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to penetrate or become known to the mind or feelings (followed byin ).
The lesson didn't soak in.
- Synonyms:
- seep
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Informal. to drink immoderately, especially alcoholic beverages.
They were soaking at the bar.
verb (used with object)
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to place or keep in liquid in order to saturate thoroughly; steep.
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to wet thoroughly; saturate or drench.
- Antonyms:
- dry
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to permeate thoroughly, as liquid or moisture does.
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Metallurgy. to heat (a piece) for reworking.
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Informal. to intoxicate (oneself ) by drinking an excess of liquor.
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Slang. to beat hard; punish severely.
I was soaked for that mistake.
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to extract or remove by or as by soaking (often followed byout ).
to soak a stain out of a napkin.
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Slang. to overcharge.
He was soaked by the waiter.
noun
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the act or state of soaking or the state of being soaked.
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the liquid in which anything is soaked.
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Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a habitual drinker of alcohol who is frequently intoxicated; a heavy drinker.
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Australian. any small area of land, as near a spring or at the foot of a hill, that becomes swamplike or holds water after a period of heavy rain.
verb phrase
verb
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to make, become, or be thoroughly wet or saturated, esp by immersion in a liquid
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(of a liquid) to penetrate or permeate
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(tr; usually foll by in or up) (of a permeable solid) to take in (a liquid) by absorption
the earth soaks up rainwater
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(tr; foll by out or out of) to remove by immersion in a liquid
she soaked the stains out of the dress
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(tr) metallurgy to heat (a metal) prior to working
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informal to drink excessively or make or become drunk
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slang (tr) to overcharge
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slang (tr) to put in pawn
noun
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the act of immersing in a liquid or the period of immersion
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the liquid in which something may be soaked, esp a solution containing detergent
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another name for soakage
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informal a heavy rainfall
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slang a person who drinks to excess
Synonym Usage
See wet.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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oversoakverb
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soakinglyadverb
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soakernoun
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resoakverb
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well-soakedadjective
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unsoakedadjective
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soakingnoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have soakedperfect
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has soakedperfect 3rd person singular
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am soakingprogressive 1st person singular
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are soakingprogressive
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is soakingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been soakingperfect progressive
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soakssingular 3rd person
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has been soakingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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soakingparticiple
Past
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had soakedperfect
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was soakingprogressive singular
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were soakingprogressive plural
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had been soakingperfect progressive
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soakedparticiple
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soakedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of soak
First recorded before 1000; Middle English soken, Old English sōcian; akin to suck
Explanation
To soak something is to submerge it into water. Before you cook dry beans, you soak them overnight first. If you’re not a bean, you can also soak up a cool experience by immersing yourself in it. You can soak your dirty laundry in soapy water, or soak rice before you cook it, and you can also soak in a bubble bath. When you do this, you give these things (including yourself) a soak. Informally, the verb also means "immerse in an activity or experience," like when you soak up the applause after your masterful violin performance.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Once they’re well roasted, transfer the lentils to a bowl and soak in two cups of water.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
With less of a regulatory nudge, companies can soak up round after round of funding from investors looking for exponential returns.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
Chelsea's plan was to sit back, soak up the pressure and look to hit City on the break.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
He’s tried to soak up as much as he can from the veteran stars he’s been able to spend time with.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026
“This is your crankset. We can soak it too. It’ll look like new, and if it doesn’t, we can order you a replacement.”
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
