soar

[ sawr, sohr ]

verb (used without object)

1. to fly upward, as a bird.
2. to fly at a great height, without visible movements of the pinions, as a bird.
3. to glide along at a height, as an airplane.
4. to rise or ascend to a height, as a mountain.

   Synonyms: mount, tower

5. to rise or aspire to a higher or more exalted level:

   His hopes soared.

noun

1. an act or instance of soaring.
2. the height attained in soaring.

soar

/ sɔː /

verb

1. to rise or fly upwards into the air
2. (of a bird, aircraft, etc) to glide while maintaining altitude by the use of ascending air currents
3. to rise or increase in volume, size, etc

   soaring prices

noun

1. the act of soaring
2. the altitude attained by soaring

Derived Forms

• ˈsoaring, nounadjective
• ˈsoarer, noun

Other Words From

• soarer noun
• soaring·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of soar¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English soren, from Middle French essorer, from unattested Vulgar Latin exaurāre, equivalent to Latin ex- ex- ¹ + aur(a) “air” + -āre infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of soar¹

C14: from Old French essorer, from Vulgar Latin exaurāre (unattested) to expose to the breezes, from Latin ex- ¹+ aura a breeze

Synonym Study

See fly ².

Example Sentences

And because the world, and one’s continued engagement with it, is a repeated litany of small erosions, it is through the practice of beauty that we learn to survive, to soar even.

From Los Angeles Times

A former member of the Pussycat Dolls, Scherzinger has a pop voice that can soar to operatic heights.

From Los Angeles Times

The vast majority of solar panels and electric vehicle batteries, for example, are made overseas and the prices of those imports, as well as other clean-energy technology, could soar.

From Salon

The Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD has seen its quarterly revenues soar, beating Tesla's for the first time.

From BBC

In five years out of the 10 that Macquarie was a major shareholder in Thames Water, investors took out more money in dividends than the company made in profit and made up the shortfall by borrowing heavily while letting debt levels soar.

From BBC

Related Words

• ascend
• escalate
• lift
• mount
• rise
• rocket
• sail
• shoot
• shoot up
• skyrocket
• top