soar

American  

[sawr, sohr] / sɔr, soʊr /

verb (used without object)

• soars,
  present (3rd person singular)
• soared,
  past participle,  past
• soaring
  present participle

1. to fly upward, as a bird.

2. to fly at a great height, without visible movements of the pinions, as a bird.

3. to glide along at a height, as an airplane.

4. to rise or ascend to a height, as a mountain.

   Synonyms:

   mount, tower

5. to rise or aspire to a higher or more exalted level.

   His hopes soared.

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noun

1. an act or instance of soaring.

2. the height attained in soaring.

soar British  

/ sɔː /

verb

1. to rise or fly upwards into the air

2. (of a bird, aircraft, etc) to glide while maintaining altitude by the use of ascending air currents

3. to rise or increase in volume, size, etc

   soaring prices

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noun

1. the act of soaring

2. the altitude attained by soaring

Synonym Usage

See fly ².

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• soarer
  noun
• soaring
  noun
• soaringly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• soaring
  present
• soared
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• soar
  simple
• soars
  simple
• have soared
  perfect
• has soared
  perfect
• am soaring
  progressive
• are soaring
  progressive
• is soaring
  progressive
• have been soaring
  perfect progressive
• has been soaring
  perfect progressive

Past

• soared
  simple
• had soared
  perfect
• was soaring
  progressive
• were soaring
  progressive
• had been soaring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will soar
  simple
• will have soared
  perfect
• will be soaring
  progressive
• will have been soaring
  perfect progressive

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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

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

soar soars soared soaring

For now, biofuels and natural gas are the alternatives gaining ground as diesel prices soar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

It’s in the second half of the novel, after Batter graduates from college, that the plot gains momentum and begins to soar.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

While sales of the iPhones appeared to be strong in China during the first few weeks of their launch, demand globally seems to be weaker as the prices of memory chips soar.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

But those forecasts could be jeopardised by rising interest rates, which have seen France's government bond yields soar in recent weeks.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

I soar beneath the trees, transform into wind.

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen

Bending Spoons stock soars as Berkshire Hathaway invests another $330 million in the digital media company.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Rival Asian firms in Japan, China and Taiwan are also investing heavily in chip plants as demand for AI soars.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Sometimes it soars up to the clouds as if escaping Nickerson Gardens for a breath of air.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

The top producer, Freeport-McMoRan, which is developing more projects as copper demand soars, warned in 2022, before the Supreme Court ruling, against applying federal regulations to “arid ephemeral drainages.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Away he soars into the bright sky; and I cry aloud—all this in dream—I wail and round me gather softly braided Akhaian women mourning because the eagle killed my geese.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

While private prescriptions for Wegovey and Mounjaro have soared, fewer than half of Scotland's health boards currently offer the treatment specifically for weight loss - and then only as part of small pilot schemes.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Bumble shares soared roughly 50% after The Wall Street Journal reported the company was in advanced talks to go private at a valuation of around $1 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

The subtext of their question is the worry that, just as Icarus soared so high that the sun melted his wings of wax, a market that rises too far is prone to crashing.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026

The stock market has also soared around 70 percent since the start of the year.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

Lilya soared from height to height as a combat pilot.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

CoreWeave, whose soaring borrowing costs were one force behind investors’ latest flight out of AI, traded down 2.5% premarket.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Across Spain, soaring rents and a shortage of affordable homes are forcing people to delay starting families, putting pressure on households with children and leaving young people struggling to set up on their own.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

Heating oil customers facing soaring bills have been promised better regulation of the sector by the government.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

It comes with a five-car garage, basement, resort-style pool, soaring ceilings, and many modern amenities.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026

The ocean grew closer and closer, and then the flock was soaring above a sandy beach and out over the water.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

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