Definition of absorbnext
1
as in to drink
to take in (something liquid) through small openings most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
as in to integrate
to make a part of a body or system local schools will seek to absorb the new immigrants into the regular curriculum as quickly as possible

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of absorb Unlike blue or white, which can double down on or reflect the blue light of your computer screen, green absorbs it, cutting down on the optical chaos you’re subjected to all day long. Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2026 The compound was shown to be well-absorbed by the body and unlikely to be toxic at therapeutic levels. Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026 With a population more than three times that of Ukraine and a nominal GDP roughly 10 times larger, Russia can absorb these horrifying losses far more readily than the Ukrainians. Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026 They can also be inhaled — particularly when heated during styling — and absorbed through a person’s hands. Claretta Bellamy, NBC news, 12 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for absorb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absorb
Verb
  • The hanging quickly devolves into an all-out bacchanal, as onlookers drink, dance and kiss in the square surrounding the flailing corpse.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The appeal was lost on holdovers accustomed to drivers rough around the edges, with a Southern drawl, drinking a beer in Victory Lane.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • On one side stood a dozen or so cages occupied by snow-white rats.
    Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
  • These are among the latest antisemitic conspiracy theories to be born from the Jeffrey Epstein files, following the document dump that has occupied online commentators for days.
    Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Some platforms even integrate with banking apps to categorize wedding spending automatically.
    Craig Lebrau, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
  • In service with more than 40 allies and partners, AMRAAM is integrated across fourth and fifth-generation aircraft and serves as the primary interceptor for NASAMS, supporting both air-to-air and ground-based air defense.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Next, consumed by stress, Howell had a heart attack.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The Liquor Commission voted to amend Heinen’s Class G2 liquor license to allow customers to consume alcoholic beverages on its patio space, which is connected to the market’s cafe area through sliding doors.
    Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Glycine is generally well-tolerated but can cause digestive side effects such as diarrhea, gas, or stomach pain.
    Jenna Anderson, Health, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Trump cannot tolerate the reality of others rejecting him.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This scene in Seoul in January may seem totally contrary to the usual headlines from South Korea, of plummeting birth rates and a looming demographic crisis that also threatens to swallow neighboring Japan and China.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Then they were gone, swallowed up by the trees’ resplendent emerald green.
    Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • As tall as a man and immersed in a sea of bracken, it is now covered in moss and disappears from sight amid summertime growth, only to reëmerge when winter arrives.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
  • But Carew’s main objective is to continue immersing himself ever deeper into his new craft.
    Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The additional data was incorporated into TV ratings starting in September.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Each arm incorporates multiple servo motors arranged to provide precise, coordinated movement.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Absorb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absorb. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on absorb

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!