Link Centre Dictionary

absorb

ab·sorb

UK/əbˈzɔːb/ US/əbˈsɔːb/ fairly common

verb

1.

become imbued

  • “The liquids, light, and gases absorb”
2.

take up mentally

  • “he absorbed the knowledge or beliefs of his tribe”
Synonyms
3.

take up, as of debts or payments

  • “absorb the costs for something”
Synonyms
4.

take in, also metaphorically

  • “The sponge absorbs water well”
  • “She drew strength from the minister”
Synonyms
5.

cause to become one with

  • “The sales tax is absorbed into the state income tax”
6.

be identified, regarded, accepted, or mistaken for someone or something else; as by denying one's own ancestry or background

  • “He could pass as his twin brother”
  • “She passed as a White woman even though her grandfather was Black”
Synonyms
Antonyms
7.

engross (oneself) fully

  • “He immersed himself into his studies”
Synonyms
8.

assimilate or take in

  • “The immigrants were quickly absorbed into society”
9.

engage or engross wholly

  • “Her interest in butterflies absorbs her completely”
Synonyms

Origin

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.

Phrases

  • absorb oneself in
  • X-ray absorbing glass

Related words

Word family

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Related verbs

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.