as in bribe
something given or promised in order to improperly influence a person's conduct or decision
as a sop to the teachers' union for supporting his reelection campaign, the mayor promised to push for the abolition of the residency requirement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to soak
to wet thoroughly with liquid
sopped the sponge with the detergent and began scrubbing the floor vigorously
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wet
to make wet
my book fell in the swimming pool and was thoroughly sopped before I could fish it out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dip
to sink or push (something) briefly into or as if into a liquid
hesitant to sop his bread in gravy, no matter how delicious, at such a formal banquet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of sop
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision last month to shut down Germany's oldest nuclear reactors and temporarily scrub life extensions for the rest was widely seen as a sop to voters in the state of Baden-Württemberg.
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 Apr. 2011
India Espy-Jones, Essence, 31 Mar. 2025
Carpenter tosses a green bag of sopping compost into a bin, then bends over to pick up a black plastic bag filled with trash.
—Alana Semuels/waitsfield, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sop
Noun
Simpson emerged as a spear-carrier for Social Security benefit cuts in 2010, when he was appointed the GOP co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, established by Barack Obama as a sop to conservative deficit hawks.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision last month to shut down Germany's oldest nuclear reactors and temporarily scrub life extensions for the rest was widely seen as a sop to voters in the state of Baden-Württemberg.
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 Apr. 2011
Verb
Solange, seen in sopping wet tresses this week, creative directed a birthday shoot for Ari Lennox.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 31 Mar. 2025
Carpenter tosses a green bag of sopping compost into a bin, then bends over to pick up a black plastic bag filled with trash.
—Alana Semuels/waitsfield, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sop
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sop
Noun
-
For instance, Sugihara’s self-discovery occurs after his family pays a bribe to switch their citizenship from North Koreans to South Koreans—just so that his parents can visit Hawai‘i.—
H.M.A. Leow,
JSTOR Daily,
11 July 2025
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By his own admission, the Mexican lawman known as El Diablo — The Devil — supervised a scourge of torture, murder, kidnappings, land grabs and other abuses while amassing a fortune in cartel bribes that bankrolled purchases of homes, cattle and a fleet of buses.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Valenzuela adds that watering in the morning ensures there's sufficient time for the water to soak deep into the soil before the heat of the day.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
10 July 2025
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The colorful upper is breathable and moisture-wicking to keep your feet from getting sweaty or soaked by rain.—
Clint Davis,
People.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Traditional evaporators don’t work well in wet weather, but this new material stands up much better to wetting and drying, just like the rainforest birds that inspired it.—
Ian Rose,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 June 2025
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Use a garden hose or power washer to thoroughly wet the rug.—
Karen Grossman,
Southern Living,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
As for having children, 37.7 percent of childless respondents expressed the intention to do so—up 5.1 points—while the willingness to do so dipped slightly among those with at least one child, citing the costs and challenges of child rearing.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
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The data from the monitors has helped district scientists find patterns about the gas: concentrations typically skyrocket at night and the higher emissions are lasting longer before dipping to levels the state says won’t cause a nuisance.—
Tammy Murga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 July 2025
Verb
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Flash floods drowned portions of the state's Hill Country on the Fourth of July, spurred by nearly unprecedented rainfall that swelled the Guadalupe River.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
7 July 2025
-
The campers drowned when their bus attempted to evacuate them and was overtaken by floodwater.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
Verb
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The worker then pointed across the lot to Norman — who was washing someone’s car, tending to his summer job, minding his business.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
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Often problems arise from short-term pollution, which can happen during heavy rainfall that washes waste from sewage plants into the water.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
Verb
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The upper deck, styled in the same vein as a fluid, open-air veranda, features full-height windows that open on three sides, immersing the ship in its surrounding marine landscape.—
India Brown,
Robb Report,
3 July 2025
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Make sure the shower head holes are fully immersed in the liquid.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
2 July 2025
Verb
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There have been major changes to feed zones this year, with rules introduced by the UCI, cycling’s world governing body, to stop major teams from saturating the route with support, putting smaller squads at a disadvantage.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
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But, these days, as influencers, artificial intelligence, and horrifying headlines saturate the internet, what’s the point of posting?—
Daniel A. Gross,
New Yorker,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sop.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sop. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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