What does "assimilation" mean?
The act of assimilating or the state of being assimilated.
Assimilation
/əˌsɪməˈleɪʃən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of assimilating or the state of being assimilated.
- Grammar: assimilation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: absorption, ablation, about face, about-face.
- Useful contrasts: ethnic group based, ethnic identity, ethnic isolation.
- Usage evidence: To buy books would be a good thing if we could also buy the time to read them; as it is, the mere act of purchasing them is often mistaken for the assimilation and mastering of their contents.
How to use "assimilation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "assimilation" 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 "assimilation" 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 "assimilation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "assimilation" 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 "assimilation" is acting as noun 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 "absorption" 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.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "assimilation", 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
Noun
- 1 The act of assimilating or the state of being assimilated. countable, uncountable
"--France swarms with Gracchus's and Publicolas, who by imaginary assimilations of acts, which a change of manners has rendered different, fancy themselves more than equal to their prototypes."
- 2 in the theories of Jean Piaget: the application of a general schema to a particular instance wordnet
- 3 The metabolic conversion of nutrients into tissue. countable, uncountable
"We have great need to be careful in these assimilations; some kinds of food are rich but not easily digested."
- 4 the process of assimilating new ideas into an existing cognitive structure wordnet
- 5 The absorption of new ideas into an existing cognitive structure. broadly, countable, uncountable
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a linguistic process by which a sound becomes similar to an adjacent sound wordnet
- 7 A sound change process by which the phonetics of a speech segment becomes more like that of another segment in a word (or at a word boundary), so that a change of phoneme occurs. countable, uncountable
"Hence, rather than being the result of mishearing and assimilation, the application of Hobson-Jobson to the Muharram was intentionally disparaging."
- 8 the process of absorbing nutrients into the body after digestion wordnet
- 9 The adoption, by a minority group, of the customs and attitudes of the dominant culture. countable, uncountable
"After centuries of British cultural assimilation, a majority of Irish now speak English instead of Irish."
- 10 the social process of absorbing one cultural group into harmony with another wordnet
- 11 the state of being assimilated; people of different backgrounds come to see themselves as part of a larger national family wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
ethnic group basedethnic identityethnic isolationnational greekness
Example
"To buy books would be a good thing if we could also buy the time to read them; as it is, the mere act of purchasing them is often mistaken for the assimilation and mastering of their contents."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "assimilation"?
Common synonyms include: absorption, ablation, about face, about-face, absorbency, absorbent.
How do you use "assimilation" in a sentence?
To buy books would be a good thing if we could also buy the time to read them; as it is, the mere act of purchasing them is often mistaken for the assimilation and mastering of their contents.
How do you pronounce "assimilation"?
Pronounced /əˌsɪməˈleɪʃən/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Medieval Latin assimilatio. By surface analysis, assimilate + -ion.