soak up

verb

soaked up; soaking up; soaks up

1

: to take in (liquid) : absorb

The rag soaked up most of the water.

2

: to enjoy feeling or experiencing (something pleasant) in usually a slow or relaxed way

We went to the beach and soaked up the sun/sunshine all afternoon.

I sat at my table for an hour soaking up the atmosphere of the café.

The performers stood on the stage, soaking up the applause.

3

: to learn and remember (something) quickly

He eagerly soaked up every word she said.

She has an ability to soak up new information very quickly.

4

: to use a large amount of (money, supplies, etc.)

This project is soaking up resources that could be used elsewhere.

Examples of soak up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As well as a wealth of ancient Greek sites to soak up, there’s also stacks of drama from more recent times. —Helen Brown, TheWeek, 30 Apr. 2026

Place this plant near the edge of the balcony to soak up the sun's rays and display its color. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026

Greg Bolon, district engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Kansas City district, said the flooding on I-70 this week was largely because the ground is not soaking up the rainfall. —Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2026

This is a month to expand your horizons in the most literal sense, soaking up new places, new knowledge, and new ways of thinking about what's possible for you. —Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026

Rhymes for soak up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup