1 A2 neutral
To absorb a liquid by drawing it in.
"She used a paper towel to soak up the spilled coffee."
separable
soak up
B1 neutral separable transitive
To absorb liquid, energy, or information, or to fully enjoy and take in an experience.
In plain English
Like a sponge taking in water — but also used when you're really enjoying something and taking it all in.
What does "soak up" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To enjoy or experience something fully and with great pleasure, especially sunlight, atmosphere, or culture.
"We spent the afternoon on the beach soaking up the sun."
“
I just want to soak up as much of this as I can.
— Oprah Winfrey, interview, The Oprah Winfrey Show
separable
3 B1 idiomatic neutral
To learn or absorb information, knowledge, or skills eagerly and efficiently.
"Young children soak up new languages incredibly fast."
separable
4 B2 idiomatic neutral
To use up a large amount of something, such as money, resources, or time.
"The repairs to the old building soaked up most of the charity's annual budget."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To absorb liquid upward into a material — quite transparent literally.
Actually means
Like a sponge taking in water — but also used when you're really enjoying something and taking it all in.
Usage tip
Very common in both literal and figurative contexts. The figurative use ('soak up the sun', 'soak up the atmosphere') is extremely frequent in informal speech and travel writing. Can be separated when the object is a noun.
Words that pair with "soak up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
sun atmosphere culture knowledge moisture information radiation
How to conjugate "soak up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
soak up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
soaks up
he/she/it
Past simple
soaked up
yesterday
Past participle
soaked up
have + pp
-ing form
soaking up
continuous
Hear "soak up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "soak up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "soak up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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