soar
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
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an act or instance of soaring.
-
the height attained in soaring.
verb
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to rise or fly upwards into the air
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(of a bird, aircraft, etc) to glide while maintaining altitude by the use of ascending air currents
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to rise or increase in volume, size, etc
soaring prices
noun
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the act of soaring
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the altitude attained by soaring
Synonym Usage
See fly 2.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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soarsimple
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soarssimple
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have soaredperfect
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has soaredperfect
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are soaringprogressive
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am soaringprogressive
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is soaringprogressive
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have been soaringperfect progressive
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has been soaringperfect progressive
Past
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soaredsimple
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had soaredperfect
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was soaringprogressive
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were soaringprogressive
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had been soaringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of soar
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English soren, from Middle French essorer, from unattested Vulgar Latin exaurāre, equivalent to Latin ex- ex- 1 + aur(a) “air” + -āre infinitive suffix
Explanation
To soar means more than just to fly; it means to rise swiftly, to feel the wind slipping below you as you ride it higher, higher, higher. Flying is just moving through the air. Soaring, though, suggests exhilaration, even joy. Think about the anticipation you feel when you buy a lottery ticket — your hopes soar as you contemplate the possibilities. It's the same wonderful feeling you get when someone you have a crush on notices you, when you land that perfect job, when you hold your child. The word soar comes from the Latin, ex-, which means "out," and aura, meaning "breeze, air," together meaning "out of the air," which is precisely how it feels to soar.
Vocabulary lists containing soar
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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Metaphors from Top AP English Exam Novels
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Higher Learning: Synonyms For "Up"
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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.
Among those being discontinued is one called Soar at CI, which in part strengthened transfer pipelines from nearby community colleges, she said.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026
Appeared in the January 10, 2026, print edition as 'Oil Stocks Seesaw, Defense Stocks Soar'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
Appeared in the November 6, 2025, print edition as 'Snap Shares Soar on Perplexity AI Deal'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 5, 2025
Xielo Maruziva entered the River Soar while with his family on 18 February, prompting a major search operation involving specialist teams.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2024
There is a bird that sings in the valley of the Soar.
From The Secret Glory by Machen, Arthur
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.
