soap

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a cleansing and emulsifying agent made usually by action of alkali on fat or fatty acids and consisting essentially of sodium or potassium salts of such acids
b
: a salt of a fatty acid and a metal
2

soap

2 of 2

verb

soaped; soaping; soaps

transitive verb

1
: to rub soap over or into
2

Examples of soap in a Sentence

Noun Make sure you use soap and water to wash your hands. The store sells many different brands of liquid soaps. Her first acting job was on a soap. Verb I soap my hair first when I take a shower. He soaped and rinsed the car.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In one shocking incident, the FAA saw Spirit mechanics applying liquid Dawn soap to a door seal as a lubricant. Alan Murray, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 Old-school toners were meant to balance skin pH and counteract alkaline soaps, before soap-free cleansers became popular. Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2024 The clinic recommends that women wash this part of their body regularly with mild soap and warm water. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 After a 20-second handwash with soap and drying their hands with a paper towel, a worker places their hands — first palms up, then palms down — under the scanner to activate it. Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 The most benign may result from using too much soap and failing to wash it off properly. USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024 What To Do if a Tarantula Bites You If bitten, wash the injury well in soap and water, and take pain relievers if necessary. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Remove the watch daily and clean it along with the band regularly with mild soap and water to remove sweat, dirt, and bacteria. Alyssa Hui, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2024 Choose from handmade soaps, pottery, candles, crafts, clothes, accessories, Indigenous art, and unique gifts to remember your time in beautiful British Columbia. Miriam Porter, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
Don’t try to multitask and rapidly soap up the colander between peeling potatoes. Genevieve Ko, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023 Set up an assembly line from soaping and scrubbing to rinsing to drying. Genevieve Ko, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023 There’s also no need to soap yourself up twice in one day, my cousin reminds me. Byalexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 21 July 2023 The Labigo Cordless Spin Scrubber makes cleaning easy, according to shoppers, eliminating the need to hunch over the bathtub and tirelessly tend to soap scum and hard water stains. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2023 This high-efficiency appliance has a unique two-stage detergent dispenser that releases soap in two different stages for more efficient cleaning power. Camryn Rabideau, Popular Mechanics, 25 Jan. 2023 Fill a large bucket or basin up with water, then use a cup to pour the water over your head once or twice to get wet and soap up, and another scoop or two to rinse off. Kaelyn Lynch, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2021 Some chose to soap up the bottoms of their tube, while others extended their arms and legs in hopes of being aerodynamic. Amber Love Bond, Forbes, 5 July 2021 The original idea had also been bolstered by Ochoa’s own pre-filmmaking experience as a journalist wondering what went on behind the frosted glass and soaped up windows of north London’s secretive-looking Greek and Turkish social clubs. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Apr. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'soap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sope, from Old English sāpe; akin to Old High German seifa soap

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of soap was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near soap

Cite this Entry

“Soap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soap. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

soap

1 of 2 noun
1
: a substance that is usually made by the action of alkali on fat, dissolves in water, and is used for washing
2
: a salt of a fatty acid
3

soap

2 of 2 verb
: to rub soap over or into

Medical Definition

soap

noun
1
: a cleansing and emulsifying agent made usually by action of alkali on fat or fatty acids and consisting essentially of sodium or potassium salts of such acids
2
: a salt of a fatty acid and a metal

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