soar
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to fly high in the air using the wind, without moving your wings much.
v.to fly or glide at a great height while maintaining altitude by using rising air currents.
Simple“The eagle began to soar high above the mountains, looking for food.”
In context“The hawk continued to soar effortlessly on the thermals, circling the valley for nearly an hour without a single wingbeat.”
UsageIntransitive; often followed by prepositions like 'above' or 'over'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to rise very quickly to a high level, especially for prices or temperatures.
v.to increase rapidly and significantly above the usual or expected level.
Simple“Temperatures are expected to soar to forty degrees this weekend.”
In context“Stock prices began to soar immediately after the merger was announced, reaching record highs by the end of the trading day.”
UsageCommonly used with subjects like 'prices', 'temperatures', 'costs', or 'unemployment'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to feel very happy, hopeful, or excited.
v.to rise to a high emotional or spiritual state; to be inspired or exalted.
Simple“Her spirits began to soar when she heard the good news.”
In context“The composer's imagination seemed to soar as he worked on the final movement of the symphony.”
Teacher's tipThis figurative use is more common in literature or formal storytelling than in daily conversation.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.the act of flying high or rising upward.
n.the act or instance of soaring; an upward flight or ascent.
Simple“The bird's sudden soar into the clouds was beautiful to watch.”
In context“With one powerful soar, the glider reached the crest of the ridge and disappeared from view.”
“After his US-listed Nvidia shares soared by more than 1,000%, Chanyong Park, who works in marketing, says he put most of the profits into SK Hynix shares.”
“With temperatures set to soar as high as 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) this week, Europeans and tourists say that summer in Europe has lost its appeal.”