assimilate

1 of 2

verb

as·​sim·​i·​late ə-ˈsi-mə-ˌlāt 

assimilated; assimilating

transitive verb

1

a

: to take into the mind and thoroughly understand

Children assimilate new ideas quickly.

There was a lot of information to assimilate.

b

: to take in and utilize as nourishment : to absorb into the system

The body assimilates digested food.

Plants assimilate carbon from the atmosphere.

2

a

: to absorb into the cultural tradition of a population or group

b

: to make similar

… the only faculty that seems to assimilate man to the immortal gods.

—Joseph Conrad

c

phonetics : to alter by the process of assimilation (see assimilation sense 3)

The prefix im- is an assimilated form of in-.

3

dated : compare, liken

By way of illustrating the useful functions of money, writers have assimilated it to different physical objects.

—George Tucker

intransitive verb

1

: to be taken in and utilized as nourishment

Food assimilates better if taken slowly.

—Francis Cutler Marshall

2

: to become absorbed into the cultural tradition of a population or group

… Chicanos have remained an identifiable ethnic group despite pressures to assimilate.

—Patricia Zavella

—often used with to or into

They found it hard to assimilate to American society.

… she grew up learning how to … assimilate into new groups.

—Glynis Costin

assimilator

ə-ˈsi-mə-ˌlā-tər 

noun

… he proved also to be a versatile assimilator, drawing in elements from imported R&B, soul, funk and even psychedelic rock.

—Julian Cowley

How Assimilate Is Used When Speaking of Language Change: Usage Guide

When used as a technical word to describe a certain process of language change, assimilate refers to the habit that some sounds have of becoming more like the sounds that are close to them in a word (see : assimilation). For instance, the original spelling of immovable in English was inmovable, and over time the n began to sound more like its neighboring m, to the point that it actually became that letter. Something similar occurred before assimilate was a word in English. Assimilate comes from the Latin prefix ad- (meaning "to, towards") and similis ("similar"). Over time the d of the prefix ad- assimilated itself with the s of similis.

assimilate

2 of 2

noun

as·​sim·​i·​late ə-ˈsi-mə-lət  -ˌlāt 

: something that is assimilated

Via photosynthesis the plant converts the light into the assimilates (sugars) needed for growth

—Leo Marcelis

Did you know?

Linguistic assimilation?

There are a handful of words in English that are examples of themselves, representatives of the very things that they describe. One such word is sesquipedalian ("having many syllables" or "characterized by the use of long words"). Another example, in a slightly less obvious fashion, is assimilate. When used as a technical word to describe a certain process of language change, assimilate refers to the habit that some sounds have of becoming more like the sounds that are close to them in a word (see assimilation, sense 3). For instance, the original spelling of immovable in English was inmovable, and over time the n began to sound more like its neighboring m, to the point that it actually became that letter.

Something similar occurred before assimilate was a word in English. Assimilate comes from the Latin prefix ad- (meaning "to, towards") and similis ("similar"). Over time the d of the prefix ad- assimilated itself with the s of similis.

Synonyms of assimilate

Verb

• compare
• equate

Examples of assimilate in a Sentence

Verb

Over time, most of the inhabitants of the "Little Italies" … assimilated rapidly to the society … —Stephan Thernstrom, Times Literary Supplement, 26 May 2000

Those groups were eagerly assimilating into the larger culture and rejecting their own cuisine … —Corby Kummer, New York Times Book Review, 16 Aug. 1998

The mistaken attempts to assimilate Lindner's paintings into the Pop Art movement in the 1960s … —Hilton Kramer, Arts & Antiques, January 1997

Children need to assimilate new ideas.

There was a lot of information to assimilate at school.

Schools were used to assimilate the children of immigrants.

They found it hard to assimilate to American society.

Many of these religious traditions have been assimilated into the culture.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Another player, Shannon Fairweather, struggled to assimilate into her new tribe, Kele, which has a majority of original Hina members. —Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025

But like many converted former Jews and assimilated Jews in Europe at the time, their real religion was German culture, especially German music. —Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025

Noun

Jack O’Connell creepily plays the fiend like a cult leader, not looking to feast so much as assimilate. —A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025

Either assimilate, leave voluntarily, or be deported. —Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 6 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English assimilaten "to make similar," borrowed from Medieval Latin assimilāre, assimulāre "to make similar, digest, compare," going back to Latin, "to pretend, feign, assume the likeness of, cause to resemble, imitate, portray, liken (to)," from as- as- + similāre "to pretend, assume the appearance of by one's conduct, imitate" — more at simulate

Noun

derivative of assimilate entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1b

Noun

1935, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for assimilate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

assimilate

verb

as·​sim·​i·​late

ə-ˈsim-ə-ˌlāt

assimilated; assimilating

: to take something in and make it part of the thing it has joined

Medical Definition

assimilate

1 of 2 verb

as·​sim·​i·​late ə-ˈsim-ə-ˌlāt 

assimilated; assimilating

transitive verb

1

: to take in and utilize as nourishment : absorb into the system

2

: to absorb into the cultural tradition of a population or group

the community assimilated many immigrants

intransitive verb

1

: to become absorbed or incorporated into the system

some foods assimilate more readily than others

2

: to become culturally assimilated

assimilate

2 of 2 noun

as·​sim·​i·​late -lət, -ˌlāt 

: something that is assimilated