Absorbing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /əb-ˈsȯr-biŋ/ ab·sorb·ing

Meaning & Definition of Absorbing

Absorbing (adjective)

  1. fully taking one's attention, engrossing

Absorbing (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. holding the attention or provoking interest

    "shell collecting can be so absorbing that you don't notice the tide coming in"

    similar: arresting, consuming, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping, immersing, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting
    related: breathtaking, electric, electrifying, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, inspiring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, provocative, tantalizing, emphatic, showy, splashy, striking, alluring, attractive, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, spellbinding, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, curious, odd, unusual, weird, amazing, astonishing, astounding, eventful, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, amusing, entertaining
    opposite: boring, drab, dry, dull, heavy, monotonous, tedious, uninteresting
    near: operose, tiresome, tiring, wearisome, wearying, sterile, unexciting, dreary, humdrum, pedantic, pedestrian, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting

Absorbing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to take in (something liquid) through small openings

    "most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth"

    similar: drinking, imbibing, soaking (up), sponging, sucking (up), taking up
    related: gulping, guzzling, quaffing, sipping, slurping, swallowing, swigging, swilling

  2. to hold the attention of

    "chatting on the phone doesn't absorb me so much that I can't do something else at the same time"

    similar: bemusing, busying, catching up, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, enwrapping, fascinating, gripping, immersing, interesting, intriguing, involving, occupying, catching one's eye
    related: alluring, attracting, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, obsessing, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, distracting, preoccupying, hogging, monopolizing
    near: boring, jading, palling, tiring, wearying

  3. 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"

    similar: assimilating, co-opting, embodying, incorporating, integrating
    related: amalgamating, blending, combining, commingling, fusing, intermingling, merging, mingling, acculturating, accustoming, conditioning, enculturating, habituating, naturalizing

  4. to make complete use of

    "cleaning the house absorbed the rest of his energy"

    similar: burning, consuming, depleting, devouring, draining, drawing down, exhausting, expending, playing out, spending, using up, running out of
    related: abating, decreasing, de-escalating, diminishing, downsizing, dwindling, lessening, lowering, reducing, eating, using, bankrupting, cleaning (out), impoverishing, crippling, debilitating, disabling, enfeebling, sapping, undermining, weakening, drying up, emptying, blowing, dissipating, frittering (away), guzzling, lavishing, misspending, running through, squandering, throwing away, wasting
    opposite: renewing, replacing
    near: augmenting, enlarging, increasing, bolstering, enforcing, fortifying, reinforcing, strengthening, rebuilding, repairing, restoring, reviving, conserving, preserving, saving

  5. to put up with (something painful or difficult)

    "somehow she managed to absorb whatever hardships life offered"

    similar: abiding, accepting, bearing, biding (chiefly dialect), brooking, countenancing, enduring, going, hacking, handling, meeting, pocketing, standing, sticking out, stomaching, supporting, sustaining, sweating out, taking, tolerating, wearing (British), living with, lumping (it), standing for, toughing it out
    related: allowing, permitting, suffering, swallowing, reconciling (to), acquiescing, agreeing (with or to), assenting (to), capitulating, consenting (to), respecting, submitting (to), yielding (to)
    near: declining, dismissing, refusing, rejecting, repudiating, spurning, turning down, combating, contesting, fighting, opposing, resisting, avoiding, bypassing, circumventing, dodging, eluding, escaping, evading, missing, abstaining (from), forbearing, refraining (from)

Related Entry: Absorb (verb)

Absorb is a different word from Absorbing. The synonyms below are for absorb, not for absorbing.

  1. to take in (something liquid) through small openings

    "most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth"

    similar: drink, imbibe, soak (up), sponge, suck (up), take up
    related: gulp, guzzle, quaff, sip, slurp, swallow, swig, swill

  2. to hold the attention of

    "chatting on the phone doesn't absorb me so much that I can't do something else at the same time"

    similar: bemuse, busy, catch up, engage, engross, enthrall, enwrap, fascinate, grip, immerse, interest, intrigue, involve, occupy, catch one's eye
    related: allure, attract, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, obsess, hypnotize, mesmerize, distract, preoccupy, hog, monopolize
    near: bore, jade, pall, tire, weary

  3. 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"

    similar: assimilate, co-opt, embody, incorporate, integrate
    related: amalgamate, blend, combine, commingle, fuse, intermingle, merge, mingle, acculturate, accustom, condition, enculturate, habituate, naturalize

  4. to make complete use of

    "cleaning the house absorbed the rest of his energy"

    similar: burn, consume, deplete, devour, drain, draw down, exhaust, expend, play out, spend, use up, run out of
    related: abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, reduce, eat, use, bankrupt, clean (out), impoverish, cripple, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, sap, undermine, weaken, dry up, empty, blow, dissipate, fritter (away), guzzle, lavish, misspend, run through, squander, throw away, waste
    opposite: renew, replace
    near: augment, enlarge, increase, bolster, enforce, fortify, reinforce, strengthen, rebuild, repair, restore, revive, conserve, preserve, save

  5. to put up with (something painful or difficult)

    "somehow she managed to absorb whatever hardships life offered"

    similar: abide, accept, bear, bide (chiefly dialect), brook, countenance, endure, go, hack, handle, meet, pocket, stand, stick out, stomach, support, sustain, sweat out, take, tolerate, wear (British), live with, lump (it), stand for, tough it out
    related: allow, permit, suffer, swallow, reconcile (to), acquiesce, agree (with or to), assent (to), capitulate, consent (to), respect, submit (to), yield (to)
    near: decline, dismiss, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn, turn down, combat, contest, fight, oppose, resist, avoid, bypass, circumvent, dodge, elude, escape, evade, miss, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Absorbing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Absorbing:

Chiefly dialect: biding
British: wearing
arresting, consuming, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping, immersing, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting, drinking, imbibing, soaking (up), sponging, sucking (up), taking up, bemusing, busying, catching up, enwrapping, occupying, assimilating, co-opting, embodying, incorporating, integrating, burning, depleting, devouring, draining, drawing down, exhausting, expending, playing out, spending, using up, abiding, accepting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Absorbing

Words with the opposite meaning of Absorbing:

boring, drab, dry, dull, heavy, monotonous, tedious, uninteresting, renewing, replacing

Related Words for Absorbing

breathtaking, electric, electrifying, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, inspiring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, provocative, tantalizing, emphatic, showy, splashy, striking, alluring, attractive, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, spellbinding, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, curious, odd, unusual, weird

Near Antonyms of Absorbing

operose, tiresome, tiring, wearisome, wearying, sterile, unexciting, dreary, humdrum, pedantic, pedestrian, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, jading, palling, augmenting, enlarging, increasing, bolstering, enforcing, fortifying, reinforcing, strengthening, rebuilding, repairing, restoring, reviving, conserving

Word Forms of Absorbing

Derived words: absorbingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Absorbing

from present participle of absorb

First known use: 1806

Frequently Asked Questions about Absorbing

What does "Absorbing" mean?

"Absorbing" means fully taking one's attention, engrossing. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: fully taking one's attention, engrossing. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Absorbing"?

Other words for "Absorbing" include arresting, consuming, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping and immersing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Absorbing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Absorbing"?

There are 180 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Absorbing". Common alternatives include arresting, consuming, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping, immersing, interesting and intriguing.

What is the opposite of "Absorbing"?

Antonyms of "Absorbing" include boring, drab, dry, dull, heavy, monotonous, tedious and uninteresting. Near antonyms include operose, tiresome, tiring and wearisome.

How do you use "Absorbing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Absorbing" in a sentence: "shell collecting can be so absorbing that you don't notice the tide coming in"; "most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth"; "chatting on the phone doesn't absorb me so much that I can't do something else at the same time".

Is "Absorbing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Absorbing" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Absorbing"?

"Absorbing" is pronounced /əb-ˈsȯr-biŋ/ and divided into syllables as ab·sorb·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Absorbing"?

"Absorbing" comes from from present participle of absorb. First known use: 1806.