1
as in drinking
to take in (something liquid) through small openings
the ground quickly sponged up the much-needed rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in begging
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sponging
Verb
-
Other home remedies are drinking hot tea with honey and lemon and breathing in steam from a hot shower.—
Amelia MacIntyre,
Verywell Health,
14 Mar. 2025 -
Many were drinking alcohol from coolers at the home, the release said.—
Silas Morgan,
Orlando Sentinel,
25 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
If your home is begging for a refresh, don’t miss the chance to save on furniture and decor at Wayfair’s epic spring sale.—
Ali Faccenda,
People.com,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Rebecca was then allegedly seen on camera begging Yolanda to call 911 multiple times as her wife told her to go back inside.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
This material could reduce the environmental impact of construction by absorbing CO2 during its curing process.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2025
-
How is the defense absorbing Knowles’ teachings?—
Audrey Snyder,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Sponging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sponging. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share