Meaning & use
assimilate
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To fully take in and understand new information or ideas.
Grammar: Takes an object: assimilate the facts.
Patterns
- assimilate something
It took me days to assimilate all the new rules.
Students must assimilate a lot of information quickly.
She assimilated the lessons from her mistakes.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To become part of a group or culture, or to make people do so.
Grammar: Intransitive with into; transitive with an object: assimilate immigrants.
Patterns
- assimilate into something
- assimilate someone into something
The family quickly assimilated into the community.
The school helps newcomers assimilate.
Many languages assimilated words from trade.
verbtransitivebiology
To absorb nutrients into the body after digesting food.
Grammar: Takes an object: assimilate nutrients.
Patterns
- assimilate something
The body assimilates iron more easily with vitamin C.
Plants assimilate nitrogen from the soil.
Word forms
| third person singular | assimilates |
|---|---|
| past tense | assimilated |
| past participle | assimilated |
| -ing form | assimilating |
Common combinations
- assimilate into
- New staff assimilate into the team quickly.
- assimilate information
- It is hard to assimilate so much information.
- assimilate nutrients
- Roots assimilate nutrients from the soil.
- fully assimilate
- She fully assimilated the culture.
- slowly assimilate
- Immigrants slowly assimilated.
Synonyms and how they differ
- absorb
- A broader word for soaking up anything, including liquids.
- integrate
- Suggests joining parts together while staying distinct.
- digest
- For information, stresses thinking carefully about it.
- adapt
- Means changing to suit new conditions, not necessarily blending in.
Opposites
Word family
- assimilation noun
- the process of assimilating
- assimilated adjective
- fully absorbed into a group
- assimilable adjective
- able to be absorbed
Commonly confused: assimilate or simulate?
assimilate vs simulate
Simulate means to imitate or recreate; assimilate means to absorb.
Practice
The new employee needed time to ___ into the team.
Choose one answer.
Assimilate into means to become part of a group. Simulate means imitate, and isolate means separate.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “assimilate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.