drench
1 of 2verb
ˈdrench 
drenched; drenching; drenches
transitive verb
1
: to wet thoroughly (as by soaking or immersing in liquid)
2
: to soak or cover thoroughly with liquid that falls or is precipitated
3
: to fill or cover completely as if by soaking or precipitation
was drenched in furs and diamonds
Richard Brautigan
Richard Brautigan4
a
: to administer a drench to (an animal)
b
archaic : to force to drink
drencher noun
drench
2 of 2noun
1
: a poisonous or medicinal drink
specifically : a large dose of medicine mixed with liquid and put down the throat of an animal
2
a
: something that drenches
b
: a quantity sufficient to drench or saturate
Synonyms
Verb
- bathe
- bedraggle
- douse
- dowse
- drown
- soak
- sodden
- sop
- souse
- wash
- water
- water-soak
- waterlog
- wet
- wet down
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb we were drenched by the sudden rainstorm when using the carpet shampooer, wet but do not drench the carpet
Recent Examples on the Web Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2022 Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to drench portions of Central Indiana on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service for Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Star, 10 Aug. 2022 The Stream Machine provides the most simple-yet-effective way to drench your opponents, offering rapid reloads and an extended range of up to 70 feet. Zachary Mack, Popular Mechanics, 30 June 2022 Weather After heavy rain fell across much of Southcentral Alaska, a second storm system is forecast to drench the region overnight and through Sunday. Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2022 Inside, there’s a dramatic double-height foyer with tall glass windows that drench the home in natural sunlight. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 June 2022 After dissipating over Mexico, tropical depression Agatha may drench South Florida by week's end. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 31 May 2022 Shea butter and squalane drench the skin with extreme moisture. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 May 2022 The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 is Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, when 33 drivers will compete at the most iconic auto race in the world for a chance to drench themselves in milk and capture the Borg-Warner Trophy. Nathan Brown, USA TODAY, 28 May 2022 Chris Willman, Variety, 1 May 2022 The final step is giving your repotted orchid a good drench. Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2022 It’s the perfect wash to pop in your gym bag for cleansing after even the most drench-inducing workouts. The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Mar. 2022 Use a systemic insecticide (Imidacloprid) as a soil drench around the root system in mid-May to prevent the insects ever from feeding. Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Jan. 2022 Licensed applicators are treating trees where the psyllids have been observed with a combination of the foliar spray Tempo and a root drench of the systemic Merit. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2021 Rare and intriguing, black maraschino cherry and bitter chocolate drench the palate, and a final kiss of licorice and tarte Tatin ebbs slowly in the background. Emily Price, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2021 Use the systemic insecticide Imidacloprid as a soil drench in mid-May to prevent them. Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 24 Sep. 2021 Certain animal formulations of ivermectin such as pour-on, injectable, paste, and ‘drench,’ are approved in the U.S. to treat or prevent parasites in animals. William Earl, Variety, 8 Sep. 2021 See More
Verb
Attendees also will have the opportunity to drench their favorite orchestra directors and MHS principals in the dunk tank. Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2022 Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to drench portions of Central Indiana on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service for Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Star, 10 Aug. 2022 The Stream Machine provides the most simple-yet-effective way to drench your opponents, offering rapid reloads and an extended range of up to 70 feet. Zachary Mack, Popular Mechanics, 30 June 2022 Weather After heavy rain fell across much of Southcentral Alaska, a second storm system is forecast to drench the region overnight and through Sunday. Anchorage Daily News, 17 July 2022 Inside, there’s a dramatic double-height foyer with tall glass windows that drench the home in natural sunlight. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 June 2022 After dissipating over Mexico, tropical depression Agatha may drench South Florida by week's end. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 31 May 2022 Shea butter and squalane drench the skin with extreme moisture. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 May 2022 The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 is Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, when 33 drivers will compete at the most iconic auto race in the world for a chance to drench themselves in milk and capture the Borg-Warner Trophy. Nathan Brown, USA TODAY, 28 May 2022 Noun
Gone, of course, were the aerial rope tricks and getting drench while singing in a waterfall. Chris Willman, Variety, 1 May 2022 The final step is giving your repotted orchid a good drench. Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2022 It’s the perfect wash to pop in your gym bag for cleansing after even the most drench-inducing workouts. The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Mar. 2022 Use a systemic insecticide (Imidacloprid) as a soil drench around the root system in mid-May to prevent the insects ever from feeding. Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Jan. 2022 Licensed applicators are treating trees where the psyllids have been observed with a combination of the foliar spray Tempo and a root drench of the systemic Merit. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2021 Rare and intriguing, black maraschino cherry and bitter chocolate drench the palate, and a final kiss of licorice and tarte Tatin ebbs slowly in the background. Emily Price, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2021 Use the systemic insecticide Imidacloprid as a soil drench in mid-May to prevent them. Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 24 Sep. 2021 Certain animal formulations of ivermectin such as pour-on, injectable, paste, and ‘drench,’ are approved in the U.S. to treat or prevent parasites in animals. William Earl, Variety, 8 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English drencan; akin to Old English drincan to drink
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4b
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
drench
verb
ˈdrench
drenched; drenching
: to make completely wet
We had pancakes drenched in syrup.
Medical Definition
drench 1 of 2
noun
ˈdrench
: a poisonous or medicinal drink
specifically : a large dose of medicine mixed with liquid and put down the throat of an animal
drench
2 of 2transitive verb
: to administer a drench to (an animal)
drench
verb
1
as in to wet
to make wet we were drenched by the sudden rainstorm Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- wet
- drown
- wash
- water
- flood
- soak
- bathe
- douse
- rinse
- sodden
- waterlog
- submerge
- sprinkle
- souse
- wet down
- moisten
- flush
- dowse
- dip
- saturate
- bedraggle
- damp
- sop
- shower
- drizzle
- water-soak
- splash
- inundate
- mist
- bedew
- hydrate
- deluge
- dampen
- moisturize
- irrigate
- asperse
- impregnate
- humidify
- overflow
- swamp
- lave
- slosh
- sluice
- dunk
- rehydrate
- duck
- hose (down)
- steep
- rewet
- rewash
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dry
- parch
- scorch
- desiccate
- evaporate
- dehydrate
- sear
- wring
- dewater
- freeze-dry
- drip-dry
- dehumidify
2
as in to soak
to wet thoroughly with liquid when using the carpet shampooer, wet but do not drench the carpet Synonyms & Similar Words
- soak
- saturate
- drown
- impregnate
- sodden
- submerge
- immerse
- wash
- macerate
- dip
- souse
- sop
- steep
- water
- penetrate
- inundate
- waterlog
- bathe
- douse
- moisten
- marinate
- permeate
- hydrate
- presoak
- infiltrate
- seethe
- water-soak
- swamp
- dampen
- damp
- swill
- dowse
- humidify
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- dry
- drain
- dehydrate
- wring (out)
- parch
- empty
- sear
- desiccate
- void
- dehumidify
Synonym Chooser
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
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
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
While in some cases nearly identical to drench, soak implies usually prolonged immersion as for softening or cleansing.
soak the garment in soapy water
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