absorb
Americanverb (used with object)
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absorbs,
present (3rd person singular)
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absorbed,
past participle, past
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absorbing
present participle
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to suck up or drink in (a liquid); soak up.
A sponge absorbs water.
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to swallow up the identity or individuality of; incorporate.
The empire absorbed many small nations.
- Synonyms:
- destroy, engulf, devour, consume, assimilate
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to involve the full attention of; to engross or engage wholly.
so absorbed in a book that he did not hear the bell.
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to occupy or fill.
This job absorbs all of my time.
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to take up or receive by chemical or molecular action.
Carbonic acid is formed when water absorbs carbon dioxide.
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to take in without echo, recoil, or reflection.
to absorb sound and light; to absorb shock.
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to take in and utilize.
The market absorbed all the computers we could build. Can your brain absorb all this information?
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to pay for (costs, taxes, etc.).
The company will absorb all the research costs.
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Archaic. to swallow up.
verb
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to soak or suck up (liquids)
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to engage or occupy (the interest, attention, or time) of (someone); engross
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to receive or take in (the energy of an impact)
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physics to take in (all or part of incident radiated energy) and retain the part that is not reflected or transmitted
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to take in or assimilate; incorporate
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to accept and find a market for (goods, etc)
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to pay for as part of a commercial transaction
the distributor absorbed the cost of transport
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chem to cause to undergo a process in which one substance, usually a liquid or gas, permeates into or is dissolved by a liquid or solid Compare adsorb
porous solids absorb water
hydrochloric acid absorbs carbon dioxide
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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absorbabilitynoun
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nonabsorbabilitynoun
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preabsorbverb
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overabsorbverb (used with object)
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reabsorbverb (used with object)
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absorbableadjective
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nonabsorbableadjective
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unabsorbableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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absorbsimple
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absorbssimple
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have absorbedperfect
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has absorbedperfect
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am absorbingprogressive
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are absorbingprogressive
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is absorbingprogressive
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have been absorbingperfect progressive
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has been absorbingperfect progressive
Past
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absorbedsimple
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had absorbedperfect
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was absorbingprogressive
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were absorbingprogressive
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had been absorbingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of absorb
First recorded in 1480–90; from Latin absorbēre, from ab- ab- + sorbēre “to suck in, swallow”
Explanation
To absorb is to take in or suck up like a sponge. If you don't hear your mother calling because you are reading, you could say you were absorbed in the book. If your parents buy groceries for a party you are throwing and don't make you pay, you could say that they decided to absorb the cost of the food. Young minds absorb information easily. The word, absorbent, describes something that is capable of absorbing something else. When you go swimming on a chilly day, it's best to carry an absorbent towel so that all of the water is absorbed from the surface of your skin.
Vocabulary lists containing absorb
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 7–11
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I’m able to absorb bad shots with ease.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Larger companies tend to have a bigger buffer that allows them to absorb more of these costs.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
The data centres "can be an engine to digest or absorb the surplus of renewable power generation", said Deng.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
These antennas absorb light with a particular color and helicity, then emit that light in a specific direction.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026
The material seemed to absorb light, and if I gazed at the beads too long, they started to glow and burn my eyes, like I was staring into the sun.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
Use them in the same year and the deduction absorbs conversion income that would otherwise be taxed at your top rate.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
Healthcare now absorbs 18% of gross domestic product.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Its open crumb absorbs just enough sauce to become more flavorful as it sits, while the soft crust remains easy to eat on a towel without showering your lap in shards.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
An asteroid absorbs sunlight and later releases that energy as infrared radiation.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
Water absorbs into the body faster than anything.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
SpaceX, which absorbed Musk's AI startup xAI before going public, made its listing a partial AI bet, too.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Under the old method, Crocs recognized the full retail price—$100, for example—and absorbed costs such as marketing and shipping.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
After they are formed, these molecules can be absorbed into the body and carried to different organs, particularly the liver and kidneys.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
Charter took over the two channels in 2016, when the company absorbed Time Warner Cable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
I glance toward the front seat to make sure Mom didn’t hear that, but she’s completely absorbed in Aunt Jen’s story about her annoying coworker.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
The analysis showed that immediately after absorbing light, the material briefly entered an intermediate electronic state.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Hayes said consumers had stopped absorbing price increases and were migrating to the biggest and cheapest stores as they hunted for deals and tried to manage higher costs of living.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Amazon and Twitch are not the first to start absorbing user data to build AI models as competition in the sector heats up.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Oceans are a vital regulator of the climate, absorbing most of the excess heat generated by greenhouse gas emissions and producing half of Earth's oxygen.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
She blew through special machines, had a blood sample taken to measure her capacity for absorbing oxygen, and underwent a chest exam.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
