spongy

[ spuhn-jee ]

adjective

, spon·gi·er, spon·gi·est.

1. of the nature of or resembling a sponge; light, porous, and elastic or readily compressible, as pith or bread.
2. having the absorbent characteristics of a sponge; absorbing or holding liquid or yielding liquid when pressed.
3. of or relating to a sponge.
4. lacking in firmness or solidity:

   spongy wood; a spongy feeling from the car brakes.

5. moist and soft; soggy:

   spongy ground.

6. porous but hard, as bone.

ˈspongy

/ ˈspʌndʒɪ /

adjective

1. of or resembling a sponge, esp in texture, porosity, elasticity, or compressibility

   spongy bread

   spongy bone

2. of or like a sponge in respect of its capacity to absorb fluid and yield it when compressed

Derived Forms

• ˈsponginess, noun
• ˈspongily, adverb

Other Words From

• spongi·ly adverb
• spongi·ness noun
• un·spongy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spongy¹

First recorded in 1530–40; sponge + -y ¹

Example Sentences

It’s a rare backpacking treat, with no roads, signs, or designated campsites—but plenty of rough and spongy backcountry tundra.

From Outside Online

Within xylem, sap is pulled like a string, caught in a tug-of-war between spongy soil and airy leaves.

From Science News

Neuroscience is moving towards a “holistic conception of health” that considers the brain’s functions in concert with our other spongy, slippery organs, rather than as a separate entity studied alone in a jar.

From Singularity Hub 

One used tubular structures and the other spongy tissue structures to help deliver cell nutrients and remove waste.

From MIT Technology Review

We butterflied the penis, slicing the shaft neatly in half to reveal the spongy tissue within.

From Nautilus

The half-circle of bread gets squeezed open to become a pocket like a huge, spongy pita.

From The Daily Beast

But last fall it seemed as if the spongy, sickly-sweet confections would disappear from the face of the earth.

From The Daily Beast

The tenderloin is rare when soft and spongy, and it becomes firmer as it reaches medium to well done.

From The Daily Beast

The wood of the tree pandans is too spongy and soft to make a good material for the construction of houses.

From Project Gutenberg

The stone is the soft spongy limestone which abounds on this coast, and I may add, through most of Palestine.

From Project Gutenberg

Prepare the crabs by removing the apron and the spongy substance under the shell of each crab.

From Project Gutenberg

With this variety, lift up the points on each side of the back shell and remove the spongy substance that is found under them.

From Project Gutenberg

While such mixtures do not require beating, spongy mixtures, such as omelets and sponge cakes, do.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• mushy
• porous
• rubbery
• soft
• springy
• squishy