Absorbs — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /əb-ˈsȯrb/ ab·sorb

Meaning & Definition of Absorbs

Absorbs (verb)

  1. to take in (something, such as water) in a natural or gradual way
  2. to take in (knowledge, attitudes, etc.), acquire, learn
  3. use up, consume

Absorbs (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

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

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

    similar: drinks, imbibes, soaks (up), sponges, sucks (up), takes up
    related: gulps, guzzles, quaffs, sips, slurps, swallows, swigs, swills

  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: bemuses, busies, catches up, engages, engrosses, enthralls, enwraps, fascinates, grips, immerses, interests, intrigues, involves, occupies, catches one's eye
    related: allures, attracts, beguiles, bewitches, captivates, charms, enchants, obsesses, hypnotizes, mesmerizes, distracts, preoccupies, hogs, monopolizes
    near: bores, jades, palls, tires, wearies

  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: assimilates, co-opts, embodies, incorporates, integrates
    related: amalgamates, blends, combines, commingles, fuses, intermingles, merges, mingles, acculturates, accustoms, conditions, enculturates, habituates, naturalizes

  4. to make complete use of

    "cleaning the house absorbed the rest of his energy"

    similar: burns, consumes, depletes, devours, drains, draws down, exhausts, expends, plays out, spends, uses up, runs out of
    related: abates, decreases, de-escalates, diminishes, downsizes, dwindles, lessens, lowers, reduces, eats, uses, bankrupts, cleans (out), impoverishes, cripples, debilitates, disables, enfeebles, saps, undermines, weakens, dries up, empties, blows, dissipates, fritters (away), guzzles, lavishes, misspends, runs through, squanders, throws away, wastes
    opposite: renews, replaces
    near: augments, enlarges, increases, bolsters, enforces, fortifies, reinforces, strengthens, rebuilds, repairs, restores, revives, conserves, preserves, saves

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

    "somehow she managed to absorb whatever hardships life offered"

    similar: abides, accepts, bears, bides (chiefly dialect), brooks, countenances, endures, goes, hacks, handles, meets, pockets, stands, sticks out, stomachs, supports, sustains, sweats out, takes, tolerates, wears (British), lives with, lumps (it), stands for, toughs it out
    related: allows, permits, suffers, swallows, reconciles (to), acquiesces, agrees (with or to), assents (to), capitulates, consents (to), respects, submits (to), yields (to)
    near: declines, dismisses, refuses, rejects, repudiates, spurns, turns down, combats, contests, fights, opposes, resists, avoids, bypasses, circumvents, dodges, eludes, escapes, evades, misses, abstains (from), forbears, refrains (from)

Related Entry: Absorb (verb)

Absorb is a different word from Absorbs. The synonyms below are for absorb, not for absorbs.

  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 Absorbs

The most common words with a similar meaning to Absorbs:

Chiefly dialect: bides
British: wears
drinks, imbibes, soaks (up), sponges, sucks (up), takes up, bemuses, busies, catches up, engages, engrosses, enthralls, enwraps, fascinates, grips, immerses, interests, intrigues, involves, occupies, assimilates, co-opts, embodies, incorporates, integrates, burns, consumes, depletes, devours, drains, draws down, exhausts, expends, plays out, spends, uses up, abides, accepts, bears, brooks

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Absorbs

Words with the opposite meaning of Absorbs:

renews, replaces

Related Words for Absorbs

gulps, guzzles, quaffs, sips, slurps, swallows, swigs, swills, allures, attracts, beguiles, bewitches, captivates, charms, enchants, obsesses, hypnotizes, mesmerizes, distracts, preoccupies, hogs, monopolizes, amalgamates, blends, combines, commingles, fuses, intermingles, merges, mingles

Near Antonyms of Absorbs

bores, jades, palls, tires, wearies, augments, enlarges, increases, bolsters, enforces, fortifies, reinforces, strengthens, rebuilds, repairs, restores, revives, conserves, preserves, saves, declines, dismisses, refuses, rejects, repudiates, spurns, turns down, combats, contests, fights

Word Forms of Absorbs

Inflections: absorbed, absorbing

Derived words: absorbability (noun), absorbable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Absorbs

borrowed from Middle French assorber, absorber, asorbir, absorbir, going back to Old French, borrowed (with conjugation changes) from Latin absorbēre, from ab- ab- + sorbēre "to suck up, draw in, engulf," going back to Indo-European *sṛbh-eii̯̯e-, probably re-formed from *srobh-eii̯̯e-, iterative derivative from the verb base *srebh- "suck up, drink noisily"; akin to Greek rophéō, ropheîn "to drink in gulps," Armenian arbi "drank," Lithuanian srebiù, srė̃bti "to gulp," Old Russian sereblyu, serebati

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Absorbs

What does "Absorbs" mean?

"Absorbs" means to take in (something, such as water) in a natural or gradual way. As a verb, it is defined as: to take in (something, such as water) in a natural or gradual way. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Absorbs"?

Other words for "Absorbs" include drinks, imbibes, soaks (up), sponges, sucks (up), takes up, bemuses and busies. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Absorbs" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Absorbs"?

There are 143 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Absorbs". Common alternatives include drinks, imbibes, soaks (up), sponges, sucks (up), takes up, bemuses, busies, catches up and engages.

What is the opposite of "Absorbs"?

Antonyms of "Absorbs" include renews and replaces. Near antonyms include bores, jades, palls and tires.

How do you use "Absorbs" in a sentence?

Examples of "Absorbs" in a sentence: "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"; "local schools will seek to absorb the new immigrants into the regular curriculum as quickly as possible".

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

"Absorbs" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Absorbs"?

"Absorbs" is pronounced /əb-ˈsȯrb/ and divided into syllables as ab·sorb.

What is the origin of the word "Absorbs"?

"Absorbs" comes from borrowed from Middle French assorber, absorber, asorbir, absorbir, going back to Old French, borrowed (with conjugation changes) from Latin absorbēre, from ab- ab- + sorbēre "to suck up, draw in, engulf," going back to Indo-European *sṛbh-eii̯̯e-, probably re-formed from *srobh-eii̯̯e-, iterative derivative from the verb base *srebh- "suck up, drink noisily"; akin to Greek rophéō, ropheîn "to drink in gulps," Armenian arbi "drank," Lithuanian srebiù, srė̃bti "to gulp," Old Russian sereblyu, serebati. First known use: 15th century.