spongy

Everyday

1. Spongy means soft, squashy and full of tiny holes, like a sponge, so it springs back when pressed. tree →
2. Spongy can describe ground that is soft and wet, or something that has too much give, like spongy brakes. tree →

In the lessons

In science and food lessons, cakes are spongy because air bubbles get trapped; bones have spongy inner parts; moss and marsh ground feel spongy. In materials lessons, pupils describe materials as spongy, hard, rigid or flexible. In everyday life a spongy cake is light and soft.

Examples

• The cake was light and spongy. tree →
• Moss feels spongy under your feet. tree →
• The inside of a bone is spongy. tree →
• The ground near the river was spongy and wet. tree →
• Bread dough becomes spongy as it rises. tree →
• The old mattress was too spongy. tree →
• The old beams had become worm-eaten and spongy--they lay in dust and ashes. tree →

Note

Comparatives: spongier, spongiest. Adjective from sponge. Not used for people, except in jokes.