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Sponge

/spʌnd͡ʒ/

Any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica.

📖 Definitions of "Sponge"

noun
  1. 1

    Any of various marine invertebrates, mostly of the phylum Porifera, that have a porous skeleton often of silica.

  2. 2

    A piece of porous material used for washing (originally made from the invertebrates, now often made of plastic).

  3. 3

    A porous material such as sponges consist of.

  4. 4

    A heavy drinker.

verb
  1. 1

    To take advantage of the kindness of others.

    "He has been sponging off his friends for a month now."

  2. 2

    To get by imposition; to scrounge.

    "to sponge a breakfast"

  3. 3

    To deprive (somebody) of something by imposition.

  4. 4

    To clean, soak up, or dab with a sponge.

🔄 Synonyms of "Sponge"

9 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.

WordDefinition
bumnoun(colloquial, sometimes derogatory) A homeless person, usually a man.
parasitenoun(biology) An organism that lives on or in another organism of a different species, deriving benefit from living on or in that other organism, while not contributing towards that other organism sufficiently to cover the cost to that other organism.
cadgeverb(US, British, slang) To obtain something by wit or guile; to convince people to do something they might not normally do.
minionnounA loyal servant of another, usually a more powerful being.
grubnoun(uncountable, slang) Food.
moochnounTo beg, cadge, or sponge; to exploit or take advantage of others for personal gain.
poriferannoun(zoology) Any sponge of the phylum Porifera.
parazoannoun(zoology) Any sponge (of the subkingdom Parazoa)
leechnounAn aquatic blood-sucking annelid of subclass Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.

↔️ Antonyms of "Sponge"

Words with the opposite meaning.

WordDefinition
felicitousAppropriate, apt, fitting.

💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Sponge"

Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.

WordDefinition
poriferannoun(zoology) Any sponge of the phylum Porifera.
parazoannoun(zoology) Any sponge (of the subkingdom Parazoa)
leechnounAn aquatic blood-sucking annelid of subclass Hirudinea, especially Hirudo medicinalis.
grubnoun(uncountable, slang) Food.
cadgeverb(US, British, slang) To obtain something by wit or guile; to convince people to do something they might not normally do.
bumnoun(colloquial, sometimes derogatory) A homeless person, usually a man.
moochnounTo beg, cadge, or sponge; to exploit or take advantage of others for personal gain.
parasitenoun(biology) An organism that lives on or in another organism of a different species, deriving benefit from living on or in that other organism, while not contributing towards that other organism sufficiently to cover the cost to that other organism.
minionnounA loyal servant of another, usually a more powerful being.
chameleonnounA small to mid-size reptile, of the family Chamaeleonidae, and one of the best known lizard families able to change color and project its long tongue.
parasiticnounOf or pertaining to a biological or symbolic parasite.
probangnoun(surgery) A tool consisting rod, originally made of whalebone, with a sponge on the end, used for removing obstructions from the oesophagus, etc.
loofahnounThe dried fibrous interior of such a plant, used as a sponge for bathing.
blotnounA blemish, spot or stain made by a coloured substance.
towelnounA cloth used for wiping, especially one used for drying anything wet, such as a person after a bath.
mopnounAn implement for washing floors or similar, made of a piece of cloth, or a collection of thrums, or coarse yarn, fastened to a handle.
terrynounA type of coarse cotton fabric covered in many small raised loops that is used to make towels, bathrobes and some types of nappy/diaper.
padnounA flattened mass of anything soft, to sit or lie on.
compressverb(transitive) To make smaller; to press or squeeze together, or to make something occupy a smaller space or volume.
fightverb(transitive) To engage in combat with; to oppose physically, to contest with.

Words Strongly Associated with "Sponge"

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🎨 Adjectives for "Sponge"

Popular adjectives used to describe this word in books.

🏷️ Nouns for "Sponge"

Common nouns this word is used to describe.

📝 Common Phrases with "Sponge"

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