Soar
/sɔːr/
verbnounB2
Definition
As a verb, soar means to fly high in the air, usually smoothly and with power, like birds or airplanes. It can also mean to increase quickly and a lot, like prices or emotions. As a noun, soar refers to a sudden rise or increase in something.
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See It in Action
To fly or move high in the air
- •The eagle soared above the forest.
- •The airplane soared through the clouds.
- •Birds soared gracefully on the warm air currents.
To increase quickly and a lot
- •Prices of houses soared last year.
- •Her excitement soared when she heard the news.
- •The company's profits soared after the new product launch.
(noun) A sudden large increase
- •There was a soar in temperature during the afternoon.
- •The stock market saw a soar in value yesterday.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'soar' like 'fly' (A1 word), but much higher and more powerful—like a bird riding the wind without flapping wings much
- ✓Picture an eagle gliding high above mountains, moving smoothly and strongly in the sky
- ✓It's the feeling of excitement or success rising quickly, like your happiness going up fast after good news
- ✓Sounds like 'sore' → imagine a soaring kite rising so high it almost feels a little sore in your neck from looking up too long
- ✓Remember stories of superheroes flying high above cities or birds reaching the top of the sky with ease
- ✓NOT like 'fly' (which can be slow or close to the ground), 'soar' is flying very high and with power
- ✓NOT like 'rise' (which can be slow), 'soar' means a fast and big increase
- ✓NOT like 'jump' (short and quick), 'soar' is smooth and continuous going up
Try Other Words
- •Rise: to go up slowly or steadily (Use when the increase or movement is gradual, not fast or high)
- •Climb: to go up step by step or steadily (Use when talking about slow or physical upward movement)
- •Increase: to become larger or greater (Use for numbers or amounts rising, but less strong than 'soar')
- •Fly: to move through the air (Use for general flying without the idea of height or speed)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: Root word 'soar' (no prefix or suffix)
- •Etymology: From Old French 'sorer' and Latin 'superare' meaning 'to rise above'
- •Historical development: Used since Middle English to describe flying high or rising quickly
- •Modern usage: Used for flying animals or objects and for fast increases in numbers, prices, or emotions
- •Key insight: 'Soar' combines the idea of height and speed, often with smoothness or power
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when your mood or energy seemed to soar? What caused it?
•How is the idea of soaring different when talking about flying animals versus prices or emotions?
Fill in the blanks
1.The eagle began to soar ___ the mountain peaks, riding the wind ___ great speed.
2.When the new movie was released, ticket sales soared ___ ___ a few days.
3.Unlike a slow rise, to soar means to increase ___ and ___.
4.The pilot made the plane soar smoothly ___ the clouds without shaking.
5.After hearing the good news, her happiness soared ___ ___.
6.The kite soared higher and higher, ___ the wind carrying it effortlessly.
7.A soar in temperature can make the day feel much ___ than expected.