sponged

Definition of spongednext
past tense of sponge
1
as in drank
to take in (something liquid) through small openings the ground quickly sponged up the much-needed rain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in begged
to live by relying on someone else's generosity or hospitality without sharing in the cost or responsibility she's been sponging off of her friends while she tries to land an entry-level job on Wall Street

Synonyms & Similar Words

See the Dictionary Definition 

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sponged
Verb
  • O’Sullivan shared dinners with the family, drank with the man’s parents, and would pray with and counsel them, Baillie said.
    Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 19 Apr. 2026
  • O’Keefe family members had between the two criminal trials filed a civil suit against Read and two bars where Read and O’Keefe had drank the night ahead of his death.
    Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The zoo’s management wanted to put Ziggy down, but Lewis begged that the sentence be commuted to life imprisonment, indoors.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Reigns tossed Punk from the announce table onto the ground as the referee begged for both competitors to get back into the ring.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, the Iranians, in their resistance, have absorbed the kind of damage to the country that is extremely difficult to recover from.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026
  • This can reduce how much protein is absorbed.
    Morgan Pearson, Verywell Health, 27 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sponged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sponged. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on sponged

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster