ABSORB

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does absorb mean? 

• ABSORB (verb)
  The verb ABSORB has 9 senses:

1. become imbued
2. take up mentally
3. take up, as of debts or payments
4. take in, also metaphorically
5. cause to become one with
6. suck or take up or in
7. engross (oneself) fully
8. assimilate or take in
9. engage or engross wholly

  Familiarity information: ABSORB used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ABSORB (verb)

Meaning:

Become imbued

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The liquids, light, and gases absorb

Hypernyms (to "absorb" is one way to...):

sorb; take up (take up a liquid or a gas either by adsorption or by absorption)

Domain category:

chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "absorb"):

reabsorb; resorb (undergo resorption)

assimilate; imbibe (take (gas, light or heat) into a solution)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Meaning:

Take up mentally

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

assimilate; absorb; ingest; take in

Context example:

he absorbed the knowledge or beliefs of his tribe

Hypernyms (to "absorb" is one way to...):

acquire; larn; learn (gain knowledge or skills)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "absorb"):

imbibe (receive into the mind and retain)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Meaning:

Take up, as of debts or payments

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

absorb; take over

Context example:

absorb the costs for something

Hypernyms (to "absorb" is one way to...):

fund (furnish money for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Meaning:

Take in, also metaphorically

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

suck up; sop up; soak up; imbibe; suck; absorb; take up; take in; draw

Context examples:

The sponge absorbs water well / She drew strength from the minister's words

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "absorb"):

sponge up (absorb as if with a sponge)

blot (dry (ink) with blotting paper)

mop; mop up; wipe up (to wash or wipe with or as if with a mop)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Meaning:

Cause to become one with

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The sales tax is absorbed into the state income tax

Hypernyms (to "absorb" is one way to...):

blend; coalesce; combine; commingle; conflate; flux; fuse; immix; meld; merge; mix (mix together different elements)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Meaning:

Suck or take up or in

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Synonyms:

take in; absorb

Context example:

A black star absorbs all matter

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "absorb"):

suck; suck in (attract by using an inexorable force, inducement, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

emit (give off, send forth, or discharge; as of light, heat, or radiation, vapor, etc.)

Meaning:

Engross (oneself) fully

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

steep; engulf; engross; immerse; soak up; absorb; plunge

Context example:

He immersed himself into his studies

Hypernyms (to "absorb" is one way to...):

center; centre; concentrate; focus; pore; rivet (direct one's attention on something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "absorb"):

drink; drink in (be fascinated or spell-bound by; pay close attention to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Meaning:

Assimilate or take in

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The immigrants were quickly absorbed into society

Hypernyms (to "absorb" is one way to...):

invite; receive; take in (express willingness to have in one's home or environs)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Meaning:

Engage or engross wholly

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

engage; engross; occupy; absorb

Context example:

Her interest in butterflies absorbs her completely

Hypernyms (to "absorb" is one way to...):

interest (excite the curiosity of; engage the interest of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "absorb"):

involve (occupy or engage the interest of)

consume (engage fully)

rivet (hold (someone's attention))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The performance is likely to absorb Sue