<p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>to suck up or drink in (a liquid); soak up: A sponge absorbs water.</li><li>to swallow up the identity or individuality of; incorporate: The empire absorbed many small nations.</li><li>to involve the full attention of; to engross or engage wholly: so absorbed in a book that he did not hear the bell.</li><li>to occupy or fill: This job absorbs all of my time.</li><li>to take up or receive by chemical or molecular action: Carbonic acid is formed when water absorbs carbon dioxide.</li><li>to take in without echo, recoil, or reflection: to absorb sound and light; to absorb shock.</li><li>to take in and utilize: The market absorbed all the computers we could build.</li><li>to pay for (costs, taxes, etc.): The company will absorb all the research costs.</li><li>Archaic: to swallow up.</li></ul><p><strong>Synonyms</strong></p><ul><li>destroy, engulf, devour, consume, assimilate</li></ul>