absorbs

verb

present tense third-person singular of absorb
1
as in drinks
to take in (something liquid) through small openings most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in occupies
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in integrates
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

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4
as in consumes
to make complete use of cleaning the house absorbed the rest of his energy

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in tolerates
to put up with (something painful or difficult) somehow she managed to absorb whatever hardships life offered

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 absorbs Photoluminescence occurs when a material absorbs energy and subsequently emits light. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026 Plus the formula features a milky serum-like texture that feels featherlight and absorbs fast. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026 Ivory paint absorbs some of the light’s reflection, a small amount to be sure, but enough to soften the light’s expression. — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026 Your body absorbs about 25% of heme iron, compared to roughly 17% of non-heme iron. — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 9 Oct. 2026 Instead of entering the bloodstream through a shot, the peptide absorbs across the tissue lining the mouth. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026 That runoff waters the plants and filters pollutants as the soil absorbs it. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 Fortunately, the atmosphere absorbs most of them, but a few stray particles pass through your body every second. — Tyce Deyoung, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026 The merchant processes the transaction and absorbs the associated costs. — Ken Nizam, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absorbs
  1. drinks
  2. occupies
  3. integrates
  4. consumes
  5. tolerates
  6. swallows
  7. immerses
  8. incorporates
Verb
  • Each drinks from an enormous glass bottle of water rather than wasting time with a cup.
    — Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The impression is of a raucous house party—one in which secrets are spilled, kisses are stolen, and everyone drinks far too much.
    — Zing Tsjeng, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of drinks
Verb
  • The 16-acre complex of 19th-century mill buildings occupies almost a third of the North Adams downtown business region.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Zhu-Nowell is executive director and chief curator of Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum, which occupies a 1930s building renovated by British architect David Chipperfield in 2010.
    — Stephy Chung, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of occupies
Verb
  • The firm manages the cable’s arrival on France’s Atlantic coast and integrates it into Europe’s terrestrial network.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026
  • QuickBooks integrates with more than 800 popular platforms and applications, including Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Gusto, Mailchimp, PayPal, Salesforce, Shopify, Square, Stripe and Zapier.
    — Dana Miranda, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of integrates
Verb
  • The company said the design consumes approximately 30 percent less fuel than comparable conventional aircraft.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Not every abnormal reading is an emergency, yet every alert consumes clinical attention.
    — Ayush Jain, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of consumes
Verb
  • Even if your skin generally tolerates exfoliation well, dermatologists warn that AHAs can increase sun sensitivity, making your skin more vulnerable to UV damage.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Start with a small glass (about 4 ounces) and gradually increase as your body tolerates it.
    — Lindsey DeSoto, HEALTH, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of tolerates
Verb
  • Even more so in Bates’ home of Aroostook County, which swallows some 6,700 square miles way up near the Canadian border.
    — Rachel Siegel, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In many of his shots, the big sky of Ukraine’s fields and steppe swallows the frame.
    — Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of swallows
Verb
  • Centre d’Art Marcel Gagnon is a riverside accommodation that immerses guests in the works of local artists, with 100 waterfront sculptures comprising a large-scale art installation and an on-site gallery.
    — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2026
  • In Nobody Wants This, agnostic podcaster Joanne Williams (Kristen Bell) begins an unexpected romance with Rabbi Noah Roklov (Brody), which shakes both their families as Joanne immerses herself in Noah’s culture and decides to convert to Judaism.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of immerses
Verb
  • The turbine also incorporates hollow superalloy blades designed to withstand high operating temperatures.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The vast, faintly industrial open warehouse incorporates concrete and wood surfaces, and glass walls frame views of the al fresco crowd in the courtyard.
    — Jaclyn DeGiorgio, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of incorporates

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Cite this Entry

“Absorbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absorbs. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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