absorption
Absorption is the process by which one substance, such as a liquid or gas, is taken into another, like a sponge soaking up water. It also refers to the state of being completely engrossed or deeply focused on an activity or subject.
Examples
3 of 5The sponge's rapid absorption of the spilled milk made cleaning up much easier.
The way the sponge quickly soaked up the liquid made the mess easy to clean.
The board approved the full absorption of the subsidiary into the parent company to streamline operations.
The directors agreed to the total integration of the smaller company into the main one.
Her total absorption in the novel meant she didn't even notice the sun had set.
She was so deeply focused on her book that she lost track of the time.
Antonyms
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of a sponge (absorbent) taking in water. Imagine the 'p' in absorption looks like a straw 'piping' liquid into a container.
Quick Quiz
The scientist measured the ________ of carbon dioxide by the ocean water.
Correct!
The correct answer is: absorption
Examples
The sponge's rapid absorption of the spilled milk made cleaning up much easier.
everydayThe way the sponge quickly soaked up the liquid made the mess easy to clean.
The board approved the full absorption of the subsidiary into the parent company to streamline operations.
businessThe directors agreed to the total integration of the smaller company into the main one.
Her total absorption in the novel meant she didn't even notice the sun had set.
informalShe was so deeply focused on her book that she lost track of the time.
This study examines the rate of nutrient absorption in the small intestine after a high-protein meal.
academicThis research looks at how quickly the body takes in nutrients after eating protein.
The treaty dictates the gradual absorption of the disputed territory into the neighboring sovereign state.
formalThe formal agreement describes how the land will slowly become part of the nearby country.
Antonyms
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
self-absorption
excessive interest in oneself and one's own feelings
absorption costing
a managerial accounting method for capturing all costs
complete absorption
the state of being totally occupied by something
Often Confused With
Adsorption is the adhesion of molecules to a surface, whereas absorption is the internal soaking into a volume.
Obsession is an unhealthy fixation, while absorption usually implies healthy, deep concentration or physical soaking.
Usage Notes
Use 'absorption' in scientific contexts for physical processes and in psychological contexts to describe deep focus. It is almost always followed by the preposition 'of'.
Common Mistakes
Learners often use the verb form 'absorb' when a noun is required, or confuse it with 'adsorption' in technical writing. Some also forget that 'absorption' is spelled with a 'p' while 'absorb' ends with a 'b'.
Memory Tip
Think of a sponge (absorbent) taking in water. Imagine the 'p' in absorption looks like a straw 'piping' liquid into a container.
Word Origin
From the Latin word 'absorbere', which means 'to swallow up' or 'to devour'.
Grammar Patterns
Quick Quiz
The scientist measured the ________ of carbon dioxide by the ocean water.
Correct!
The correct answer is: absorption
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