English Reference

Word

soar

US/ˈsɔɹ/

UK/sˈɔː/

Definitions

01to fly high

B2

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.

“The eagle began to soar high above the mountains, looking for food.”

“The hawk continued to soar effortlessly on the thermals, circling the valley for nearly an hour without a single wingbeat.”

Usage

Intransitive; often followed by prepositions like 'above' or 'over'.

Synonyms

Antonyms

02to increase rapidly

B2

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.

“Temperatures are expected to soar to forty degrees this weekend.”

“Stock prices began to soar immediately after the merger was announced, reaching record highs by the end of the trading day.”

Usage

Commonly used with subjects like 'prices', 'temperatures', 'costs', or 'unemployment'.

Synonyms

Antonyms

03spirits or feelings

C1

v. to feel very happy, hopeful, or excited.

v. to rise to a high emotional or spiritual state; to be inspired or exalted.

“Her spirits began to soar when she heard the good news.”

“The composer's imagination seemed to soar as he worked on the final movement of the symphony.”

Literary

Teaching tip

This figurative use is more common in literature or formal storytelling than in daily conversation.

Synonyms

Antonyms

04upward flight

C2

n. the act of flying high or rising upward.

n. the act or instance of soaring; an upward flight or ascent.

“The bird's sudden soar into the clouds was beautiful to watch.”

“With one powerful soar, the glider reached the crest of the ridge and disappeared from view.”

Literary

Synonyms

Antonyms

Real-World Examples

“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.”
BBC News · 13 Aug 2026
“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.”
The New York Times · 13 Aug 2026
“Today, we look at the government’s response to extreme heat, and fires around the country, as he chairs a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee, as temperatures are set to soar again.”
BBC News · 12 Aug 2026
“When temperatures soared again the next month, the 30-year-old, who lives in London, slept on the sofa in her living room, with an electric fan switched on.”
BBC News · 12 Aug 2026

Word family

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference