soar
Americanverb (used without object)
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soars,
present (3rd person singular)
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soared,
past participle, past
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soaring
present participle
noun
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an act or instance of soaring.
-
the height attained in soaring.
verb
-
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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am soaringprogressive
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are 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.
See Examples For:
At the Texas demo, the Roadster didn’t exactly soar through the air — it thrust itself off the ground for brief moments using thrusters on the bottom of the vehicle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 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
Google Maps will now show fuel prices to help motorists find cheaper petrol and diesel in the UK as costs continue to soar.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 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
House prices in the sand states had risen fastest during the boom and so would likely crash fastest in a bust—and when they did, those low California default rates would soar.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Bending Spoons stock soars as Berkshire Hathaway invests another $330 million in the digital media company.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026
Above the Amalfi, Ferrari’s portfolio soars in price, performance and visual outrage, starring cars like the 12Cilindri GT, Purosangue SUV and the all-electric Luce.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
See more: CrowdStrike’s stock soars after AI fuels the cybersecurity company’s ‘best quarter in history’
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
Off the entry and through an archway, the architectural heart of the century-old home soars upward: the living room’s open-beam, 25-foot ceiling with its original deep teal stain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 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
Shipments to Southeast Asia, China’s largest trading partner bloc, soared 52.3%, while exports to the U.S., its third-largest trading partner, rose 40%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
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
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
Imports for September soared 51.7 percent to $63.6 billion and the trade surplus reached $23.6 billion -- both also record highs, the ministry said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
There were a total of eight seats, and she took one in the back row, staring out the window as the plane took off and soared into the moonless night.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
That point harks back to a similar, unfulfilled promise by his father, who instead oversaw soaring deforestation rates.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
From California to Massachusetts, they will decide on initiatives that could impact local housing markets and address the soaring cost of homes that have frustrated so many Americans.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
Heating oil customers facing soaring bills have been promised better regulation of the sector by the government.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
The AI boom has sent global stock markets soaring this year, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both hitting records earlier this month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
She wound up her arm and threw the lighter, sending it soaring over the lion’s head and into the shadows beyond them.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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