noun
Meaning 1
A crate for packing soap.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: literally
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
soapbox
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ˈsəʊpbɒks/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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CMU ARPABET: S OW1 P B AA2 K S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
noun
Meaning 2
A small platform, being or resembling a literal soapbox, on which a person stands in order to give an impromptu speech or espouse their views.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The madman obtained a soapbox which he stood on at the corner of Broadway and Wall street, to shout out his prophecy of the end of the world.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
A platform or outlet, such as a media platform, that a person uses to express their opinions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, often, pejorative
Examples
- The politician used Twitter as his soapbox.
- Please stop using council meetings as your own personal soapbox.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
A figurative means of talking repeatedly or at length about one's opinions on one's pet topic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: derogatory, especially
Examples
- He's been on his soapbox all day about the new football coach.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
A figurative means of talking repeatedly or at length about one's opinions on one's pet topic.
The topic itself.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, derogatory, especially
Examples
- His soapbox is the lack of public toilets in the city.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A soapbox car.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To give a speech from (or as if from) a soapbox.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dais, podium, pulpit, rostrum, ambo, stump
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: platform
noun
Meaning 9
a crate for packing soap
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: crate
History
Etymology
From soap + box. The figurative use of the word derives from the fact that soap products in the US used to be commonly transported to stores in large wooden boxes. It used to be common for individuals to give impromptu rally speeches to their neighbors by finding something to stand on like a soapbox.
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Finnish: saippualaatikko — crate for packing soap
- Korean: 비누상자 (binusangja) — crate for packing soap
- Polish: pudło na mydło — crate for packing soap
- Afrikaans: seepkis — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Catalan: tribuna — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Chinese Mandarin: 宣講臺 /宣讲台 (xuānjiǎngtái) — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Chinese Mandarin: 肥皂盒 (féizào hé) — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Czech: provizorní stupínek — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Czech: improvizované pódium — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Finnish: puhujalava — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Finnish: äänitorvi — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- French: tribune — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- French: estrade — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Polish: prowizoryczna mównica — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Russian: импровизи́рованная трибу́на (improvizírovannaja tribúna) — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Russian: трибу́на (tribúna) — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Scots: saipbox — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Spanish: tribuna improvisada — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Spanish: podio — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Spanish: estrado — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Welsh: bocs sebon — platform for presenting one's viewpoints
- Chinese Mandarin: 個人觀點 /个人观点 (gèrén guāndiǎn) — pet topic
- Czech: oblíbené téma — pet topic
- Finnish: mieliaihe — pet topic
- Finnish: lempiaihe — pet topic
- Polish: ulubiony temat — pet topic
- Russian: конёк (konjók) — pet topic