drench

Synonym Chooser

How is the word drench different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of drench are impregnate, saturate, soak, and steep. While all these words mean "to permeate or be permeated with a liquid," drench implies a thorough wetting by something that pours down or is poured.

clothes drenched by a cloudburst

In what contexts can impregnate take the place of drench?

The words impregnate and drench can be used in similar contexts, but impregnate implies a thorough interpenetration of one thing by another.

a cake strongly impregnated with brandy

When might saturate be a better fit than drench?

The words saturate and drench are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, saturate implies a resulting effect of complete absorption until no more liquid can be held.

a saturated sponge

When could soak be used to replace drench?

While in some cases nearly identical to drench, soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.

soak the garment in soapy water

When would steep be a good substitute for drench?

The meanings of steep and drench largely overlap; however, steep suggests either the extraction of an essence (as of tea leaves) by the liquid or the imparting of a quality (such as a color) to the thing immersed.

steep the tea for five minutes

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of drench Everything from here up was wet, my whole shoulder was drenched. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 24 Oct. 2024 Water had puddled on our carpet; the floor was drenched. Kristen Arnett, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2024 The old rituals of Black hair care can elicit a sense of nostalgia for those of us who grew up with hot combs heated on the stove, our hair being drenched in raw caster oil and experiencing hair relaxers out of the box. L'oréal Blackett, refinery29.com, 11 Oct. 2024 This storm inundated areas that had already been drenched by Tropical Storm Debby in August. Russ Schumacher, Discover Magazine, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for drench 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drench
Verb
  • In a desperate attempt to escape the heat, the lawsuit said many prisoners wet their sheets and sleep on the concrete floor.
    Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
  • To whet your appetite (or wet your whistle), here are the current odds, courtesy of betonline.ag: Ohtani, 1-12 Francisco Lindor, 5-1 Marcell Ozuna, 75-1 The postseason race A look at how the teams stack up.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024
Verb
  • The Rooms: There are six bedrooms, including two primary suites on opposing sides of the villa, each with balconies, outdoor showers, and soaking tubs overlooking the bay.
    Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Photo : William Myers for Sotheby’s International Realty A vintage-style soaking tub.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Downtown flooding became a regularity, including a deadly flood in August 1998 in which two boys drowned.
    Bridget Fogarty, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The initial victim was Brian Jones, a founding member of the Rolling Stones who drowned in his swimming pool in 1969.
    Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Flooding could saturate the earth above and around it.
    Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Per serving: 516 calories (31 percent from fat), 17.5 g fat (2.2 g saturated, 8.1 g monounsaturated), 110 mg cholesterol, 42.5 g protein, 54.8 g carbohydrates, 6.5 g fiber, 335 mg sodium.
    Tribune News Service, The Denver Post, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • The company plans to invest in expanding its production capacity, including the development of a new egg washing and packing facility in Seymour, Indiana.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
  • Migrants without work authorization huddled in Home Depot parking lots and stood at intersections washing windshields for tips.
    Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The disturbing true story of a North Carolina man who impregnated his biological daughter and then killed her, her adoptive father and his own infant son in a triple-murder-suicide is being adapted into a new Lifetime movie.
    Nicole Acosta, People.com, 27 Sep. 2024
  • In one instance at Combs’ house in Los Angeles, the complaint alleges, she was drugged into unconsciousness and was impregnated.
    Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
Verb
  • Since May, Liccardo and Low have duked it out on the campaign trail as millions of dollars flooded the race despite it not being one of California’s key battleground races.
    Grace Hase, The Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The intrigue: Big donors are flooding Pennsylvania with cash, and much of the attention is on Democratic Sen. Bob Casey's fight to keep his seat.
    Alexa Mencia, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near drench

Cite this Entry

“Drench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drench. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on drench

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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