Meaning & use
immersion
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Meanings
noununcountable
The act of putting something completely into a liquid, or the state of being covered by it.
Grammar: Usually uncountable: immersion in water.
Patterns
- immersion in something
- by immersion
Prolonged immersion in cold water is dangerous.
The metal is cleaned by immersion in acid.
Baptism by full immersion is practiced in some churches.
noununcountablefigurative
Deep involvement in an activity, place, or culture, so that it fills a person's attention or surroundings.
Grammar: Often followed by in: immersion in a culture.
Patterns
- immersion in something
- total immersion
Total immersion in French helped her speak more fluently.
The game's sound design adds to the immersion.
A year abroad gave him immersion in a completely new culture.
noununcountable
A way of teaching a language in which most or all lessons are given in that language.
Grammar: Often used before a noun: an immersion school.
Patterns
- language immersion
- immersion program
Their daughter attends a Spanish immersion school.
Immersion programs teach math and science in the new language.
Immersion works best when students hear the language every day.
Word forms
| plural | immersions |
|---|
Common combinations
- total immersion
- Total immersion is the fastest way to learn a language.
- language immersion
- Language immersion classes begin in kindergarten.
- cultural immersion
- The trip offered cultural immersion in rural Japan.
- immersion program
- She joined an immersion program in Madrid.
- immersion in water
- Immersion in water for too long wrinkles the skin.
- virtual reality immersion
- Virtual reality immersion makes players feel part of the story.
Synonyms and how they differ
- absorption
- Absorption stresses mental focus or soaking up, and is less physical than immersion in a liquid.
- submersion
- Submersion means being fully under water or liquid and is less used for learning or culture.
- engrossment
- Engrossment is a formal word for being deeply interested and is rarely used for liquids.
- dunking
- Dunking is informal and describes a quick dip rather than lasting involvement.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: immersion or emersion? immersion or immigration?
immersion vs emersion
Emersion is a rare word for coming out of water, the opposite of immersion; it is not a spelling variant.
immersion vs immigration
Immigration means moving to a new country to live, while immersion means being deeply involved in something.
Practice
The school offers ___ in German, so all lessons are taught in that language.
Choose one answer.
Language immersion means teaching in the target language. Immigration is moving to a country, and the other choices do not fit teaching.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “immersion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.