as in interesting
holding the attention or provoking interest
shell collecting can be so absorbing that you don't notice the tide coming in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in drinking
to take in (something liquid) through small openings
most of the spilled water was absorbed by the tablecloth
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in intriguing
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 integrating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in draining
to make complete use of
cleaning the house absorbed the rest of his energy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in tolerating
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
somehow she managed to absorb whatever hardships life offered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of absorbing
Sofia Baltodano, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
As the lens follows Dua, often up close and from behind, this mode of expression proves alternately absorbing and alienating.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 May 2026
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 June 2026
Ludwigsen played each of the five commercial slapsticks five times in an anechoic environment, minimizing any acoustic room effects with absorbing wedges.
—ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for absorbing
Adjective
The optometrist first gained recognition in 1969 for pioneering ultraviolet (UV) and blue-light–absorbing lens technology, which has helped reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration worldwide.
—Sofia Baltodano, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
As the lens follows Dua, often up close and from behind, this mode of expression proves alternately absorbing and alienating.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 13 May 2026
Verb
An odor-absorbing bar Avid cooks and fisherman swear by this odor-absorbing stainless-steel bar.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 June 2026
Ludwigsen played each of the five commercial slapsticks five times in an anechoic environment, minimizing any acoustic room effects with absorbing wedges.
—ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for absorbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for absorbing
Adjective
-
The mini-bar had a decent selection of interesting snacks, and for coffee there’s a Nespresso machine.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
The white, wavy detailing adds just enough contrast to feel fresh and interesting without sacrificing comfort or versatility.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Danny is, once again, drinking and trying to hide it.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 June 2026
-
In the 1990s, the soft drink company ran a promotion and a Super Bowl commercial that featured the Harrier as a prize for accumulating 7 million points by drinking Pepsi products.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
And while the company presented more data on that drug Tuesday, showing promising first-line and combination data on daraxonrasib, scientists also showed in another session intriguing preclinical data on a completely new compound that may represent what comes after the current lineup.—
Angus Chen,
STAT,
21 Apr. 2026
-
There’s familiarity there, but there’s also intriguing talent with Thompson.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The more such institutions can resist integrating AI tools into every aspect of their operations, and instead incentivize human intellectual engagement even at the expense of efficiency, the better as far as patience is concerned.—
Christian B. Miller,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
-
The distinction Allen draws — between hiding nutrition and integrating it — is the heart of the trend.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
But the recession of 1969–70 hit New York hard, draining the city of half a million jobs.—
Kevin Lozano,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
-
Making the powder involves several steps, including milk testing and pasteurization, the separation of curds and whey, draining and pasteurizing the liquid whey, and then sending it to a processing facility to remove more liquid via evaporation and spray drying.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Cooperative games like Uno, Go Fish, Sorry, or Chutes and Ladders help kids practice taking turns and tolerating frustration in a low-stakes environment.—
Parents,
Parents,
30 May 2026
-
And unfortunately, organizations often unintentionally create environments that discourage exploration and human connection by implicitly or explicitly rewarding competition, tolerating destructive behavior from high performers, and suppressing emotional expression in the name of performance.—
Laurel Donnellan,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Undoubtedly, these reconsiderations have been a largely positive exercise, foregrounding not only more equitable but more accurate and more engaging histories, and opening gallery and museum doors to previously excluded artists (even if many have suffered with the ups and downs of speculation).—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
The Book of Dead Philosophers by Simon Critchley eases this worry by presenting the life and death of nearly 200 philosophers in short, engaging, humorous profiles.—
Theodore McDarrah,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
After sipping on drink after drink, our testers selected seven sips that bubbled up above the rest.—
Sonal Dutt,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
-
The Princess of Wales has been seen sipping bubbly on the sidelines of Prince William’s polo matches.—
Mathilde Engelmann,
Vanity Fair,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Absorbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/absorbing. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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