What does sodden mean?
Sodden is an adjective meaning soaked through or thoroughly wet. It is especially effective when describing clothing or skin made wet by rain, as well as ground that has absorbed a great deal of moisture. The word can also suggest a heavy, dulled, or impaired condition caused by wetness. In ordinary use, it is more literary and evocative than damp or wet, and its stronger implication helps convey an unpleasant or conspicuous degree of saturation. In figurative writing, sodden can imply being emotionally or physically drained, though this extension is less common. Because it focuses on the result of extensive moisture rather than simply describing a surface, it is particularly useful in vivid descriptions of weather, travel, landscapes, or a person’s appearance after prolonged exposure to rain.
adjectiveSoaked through or thoroughly wet. It can also describe something made heavy, dull, or impaired by moisture.
- Thoroughly soaked or wet through.
- Heavy, dull, or impaired because of excessive moisture.
"After the storm, the hikers returned with sodden clothes and muddy boots."
"Her hair was sodden after the sudden downpour."
"The sodden path made the walk slow and difficult."
When rain has beaten you down for hours, “sodden” is the precise word for being soaked through.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sodden come from?
The word has its roots in Old English, where a cognate form referred to being soaked or saturated with water. Its modern form developed through Middle English and became established in the sense “thoroughly wet.” The adjective is related historically to older verb forms associated with soaking or making saturated. Its figurative uses, including ideas of heaviness and dullness, developed from the physical sense of being waterlogged.
Related word forms
How sodden is actually used
Generally literary and descriptive. It is often used for clothing, ground, or people made wet by rain, and can convey a stronger degree of wetness than damp or soggy.
Easily confused with sodden
Soggy describes something damp or unpleasantly wet, while sodden usually emphasizes being soaked through or thoroughly wet.