What does "absorb" mean?
To include so that it no longer has separate existence; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to incorporate; to assimilate; to take in and use up.
Absorb
/əbˈzɔːb/ verb
verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To include so that it no longer has separate existence; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to incorporate; to assimilate; to take in and use up.
- Grammar: absorb is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: take in, imbibe, soak up, integrate.
- Useful contrasts: twisted, backwash, beam.
- Usage evidence: This paper does not absorb ink.
How to use "absorb"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "absorb" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "absorb" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "absorb" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "absorb" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "absorb" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "take in" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "absorb", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To include so that it no longer has separate existence; to overwhelm; to cause to disappear as if by swallowing up; to incorporate; to assimilate; to take in and use up. transitive
"Dark oblivion soon absorbs them all."
- 2 cause to become one with wordnet
- 3 To engulf, as in water; to swallow up. obsolete, transitive
"to be absorpt, or swallowed up, in a lake of fire and brimstone."
- 4 consume all of one's attention or time wordnet
- 5 To suck up; to drink in; to imbibe, like a sponge or as the lacteals of the body; to chemically take in. transitive
Show 18 more definitions
- 6 devote (oneself) fully to wordnet
- 7 To be absorbed, or sucked in; to sink in. intransitive
"The drops of water slowly absorbed into the dry sponge."
- 8 take up mentally wordnet
- 9 To take in energy and convert it. transitive
"Heat, light, and electricity are absorbed in the substances into which they pass."
- 10 assimilate or take in wordnet
- 11 To take in energy and convert it.; in receiving a physical impact or vibration without recoil. transitive
- 12 take in, also metaphorically wordnet
- 13 To take in energy and convert it.; in receiving sound energy without repercussion or echo. transitive
- 14 become imbued wordnet
- 15 To take in energy and convert it.; taking in radiant energy and converting it to a different form of energy, like heat. transitive
- 16 take up, as of debts or payments wordnet
- 17 To engross or engage wholly; to occupy fully. transitive
"Geeka was cooking dinner. As the little girl played she prattled continuously to her companion, propped in a sitting position with a couple of twigs. She was totally absorbed in the domestic duties of Geeka – so much so that she did not note the gentle swaying of the branches of the tree above her as they bent to the body of the creature that had entered them stealthily from the jungle."
- 18 suck or take up or in wordnet
- 19 To occupy or consume time. transitive
- 20 To assimilate mentally. transitive
"If we fail to absorb the lessons of history, we are doomed to repeat them."
- 21 To assume or pay for as part of a commercial transaction. transitive
"Among the most debatable is the contention that the profit margins of small employers are insufficient to absorb the costs of health insurance"
- 22 To defray the costs. transitive
"I’ll absorb the charge for the window replacement."
- 23 To accept or purchase in quantity. transitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"This paper does not absorb ink."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "absorb"?
Common synonyms include: take in, imbibe, soak up, integrate, ablate, absorb the attention.
How do you use "absorb" in a sentence?
This paper does not absorb ink.
How do you pronounce "absorb"?
Pronounced /əbˈzɔːb/.
Etymology
From Middle French absorber, from Old French assorbir, from Latin absorbeō (“swallow up”), from ab- (“from”) + sorbeō (“suck in, swallow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- (“to sip”). Compare French absorber.