sponge

Rangers and volunteers at Attingham Park, in Atcham, have been building dams, restoring ponds and planting trees, in a bid to use their land as a sponge for the River Severn and River Tern.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Traore saw himself as a "big ball of clay" that Jones could mould, and the coach says he was "like a sponge" in terms of retaining information.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

The enriched flour, high-fructose corn syrup, and tallow that help make up the American classic give each small sponge cake about 65 days to be consumed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

The researchers estimated that if a particular sponge type were used in every German household, annual emissions could reach as much as 355 tonnes of microplastics.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026

When things get beyond him he throws up the sponge altogether; he just goes to pieces.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

Environmentalists also say river bank fortifications destroy shallow-water zones where aquatic life and insects breed -- and the adjoining natural floodplains that act like sponges at times of excess water.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

Tommy, who used acrylic paint and a mixture of brushes and sponges to achieve different textures, said: 'I just wanted to make something colourful, plus feet are easier to draw than faces!

From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026

Kitchen sponges are a staple in most homes, but they may also be an overlooked source of microplastic pollution.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026

The “underwater city” of a barrier reef bustles with activity, with vibrantly patterned fish darting busily between corals and sea sponges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

Even though the boats were fully loaded, why not dive down and see what kind of sponges grew beneath these unfamiliar waters?

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

“Michael sort of sponged off of Gary,” Wellman said.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2025

The magnesium had an unexpected beneficial effect: It "sponged out" inadvertent impurities in the tantalum and, as a result, raised the temperature at which it operates as a superconductor.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 5, 2024

Pastor Pam and Jen lowered me gently to the ground, a kneeling, knowledgeable Officer K sponged me to consciousness and remained with me until the Fire Department arrived.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 8, 2022

Maintenance and repairs sponged up dollars so fast that had lawmakers not acted, no money would have been left for new construction or even to unlock federal matching grants.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 30, 2022

Lee came in from the kitchen and put a damp towel in his hands, and Adam sponged his eyes and handed it back.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Alice spends her days cleaning Lady Jemima’s stinky shoes, sponging her underwear and greasing her long blonde hair.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Generative AI is developing so quickly that soon the large-language models sponging up information on the internet will run out of content to feed on.

From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2024

Dr. Jay has studied the body’s responses to sitting near an electric fan, wearing wetted clothing and sponging down with water.

From New York Times ● Jun. 13, 2022

Wetlands also act as our planet's kidneys, sponging up excess rainwater to prevent flooding, and filtering out some sediment and contaminants before they can reach springs, creeks, groundwater, ocean.

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2021

And the wild anxiety in the morning to hide all traces from the world, sponging with cold water, dabbing eau-de-Cologne, the furtive dash of powder that is significant in itself.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier