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 But Mother Nature likes to rain on France’s big parades as of late: see the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, which were drenched by downpours. Rhonda Richford, WWD, 7 Dec. 2024 Then there are rain and showers: Rain politely spreads itself evenly across a region, while showers drench one spot and ghost the next. Christine Clarridge, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024 A change for the better John awakens with a scream, his body drenched in sweat. Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 19 Dec. 2024 Buckley’s shorts and legs were drenched with Covington’s blood, and the latter was attempting to prolong the grappling sequences to keep his eye from taking more damage. Brian Mazique, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for drench 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drench
Verb
  • Advertisement The Southland remains in high fire season, which could last into the new year without a wetting rainfall, and forecasters say more Santa Ana winds are on the way.
    Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Placing the plant in a dish filled with water allows its roots to soak up the moisture and keep your plant hydrated, without wetting the soil up top, where gnat larvae tend to live.
    Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Photos show crews leading the soaking wet Appaloosa back on solid ground.
    Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Situated next to the teak soaking tub, it’s illuminated by the sun via an airy skylight that pays homage to traditional Japanese Ryoka, aka inns.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The proliferation of point solutions—tools that solve only one or two specific pain points—has left organizations drowning in software.
    Joshua Siler, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
  • While getting these hands-on pics, the bustle of the Vegas Strip didn’t drown out my music or prevent me from hearing my colleague Antonio G. Di Benedetto’s photo cues.
    Victoria Song, The Verge, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The market was saturated with SEO tools, but few were leveraging AI to provide genuinely actionable insights.
    Serkan Şafak, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Along Bourbon Street, the flashing blue lights of more police cars than usual cast a strobe effect as music from street drummers, jazz bands, and bar DJs saturates the crisp air.
    Janna A. Zanzi, AFAR Media, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The harbor was covered in oil from exploding ships, so Chandler washed the sailors off after lifting them out.
    CBS News, CBS News, 1 Jan. 2025
  • Advertisement California One of the last Pearl Harbor survivors recalls that infamous day Dec. 7, 2024 The harbor was covered in oil from exploding ships, so Chandler washed the sailors off after lifting them out.
    Audrey McAvoy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Instead, the narrative focuses on Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne), a factory worker in the wake of World War I who is impregnated by her rich boss and then discarded after his mother disapproves.
    Esther Zuckerman, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
  • The production designer was referencing an early film in his career, a comedy headlined by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston in which the former ruins the sperm sample the latter intends to use to impregnate herself, forcing him to supply his own specimen in its stead.
    Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 30 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Every year since 2020, the highway across from the port had flooded with hundreds of people marching with pictures of their dead loved ones, glimpses of particular griefs.
    Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
  • Following the performance, Rihanna’s Navy flooded social media with reactions to the karaoke surprise.
    Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 31 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near drench

Cite this Entry

“Drench.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drench. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on drench

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