Absorbs is the verb meaning to take in or soak up liquids, information, or ideas. In everyday use, it often describes a substance drawing in liquid or a person comprehending new material, usually in contexts like science, learning, or media. The form absorbs signals a present-tense third-person singular, while the base verb to absorb governs other forms.
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US: rhotic, stronger /r/ color after the vowel; UK: often non-rhotic in casual speech but still maintain the /r/ in this word in careful speech; AU: typically rhotic with some vowel broadening. vowel contrasts: /ə/ vs /ɪ/ in the first syllable; /ɔː/ in the stressed second syllable; consonants: /b/ and final /bz/ show voice onset and voicing differences. IPA references: US /əbˈzɔːrbz/; UK /əbˈzɔːbz/; AU /əbˈzɔːbz/.
"The sponge absorbs spilled juice quickly."
"She absorbs the lecture, taking careful notes."
"Plants absorb sunlight through their leaves."
"The culture absorbs new trends from neighboring regions."
Absorb derives from the Latin absorbere, composed of ab- meaning away from and sorbere meaning to suck or drink. The term entered English via Old French absorber in the 14th century, initially in scientific and medical senses relating to liquids being drawn in. Over time, the figurative sense—soaking up knowledge or influence—became standard in English, expanding into contexts of learning, culture, media, and psychology. The word retained the core notion of drawing in something by absorption, whether a physical medium or informational content. Its most stable modern usage centers on actively taking in substances or information, with the past tense absorbed. The evolution reflects a shift from tangible absorption to abstract assimilation, mirroring the rise of educational and scientific discourse in English-speaking worlds. First known uses appear in medieval scientific texts, with broader metaphorical use becoming common in early modern English and culminating in contemporary dictionaries noting both literal and figurative senses.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "absorbs" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "absorbs" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "absorbs"
-rbs sounds
-abs sounds
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Pronounce as ab-SORBS with secondary stress on the second syllable; IPA US: /əbˈzɔːrbz/, UK: /əbˈzɔːbz/, AU: /əbˈzɔːbz/. Start with a light, quick unstressed 'uh' sound for the first syllable, then a clear stressed 'zore' or 'zor' with the r-colored vowel sound, and finish with a voiced -bz ending. Your lips should be relaxed for /ə/ and then close enough for the /b/ to blend into a final /z/.
Two frequent errors are fronting the stress too early or mispronouncing the second syllable as a hard 'zorb' with a tense vowel. Correct by ensuring the primary stress sits on the second syllable with a clear /ɔː/ vowel and a voiced final /bz/. Don’t replace /z/ with /s/ in the final cluster; keep it voiced. Also avoid trailing vowel sounds; end abruptly with /z/ for natural speech.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /əbˈzɔːrbz/ stem is similar, but rhoticity matters: US and AU typically retain a rhotic /r/ in the post-vocalic position, affecting vowel coloring around /r/. UK often features a non-rhotic variant in some accents, but most standard British pronunciations here still reflect a linking /r/ in careful speech. The length and quality of /ɔː/ can vary: US tends toward a fuller /ɔː/ or /ɔːr/ depending on dialect; UK may display a shorter /ɔː/ with less rhotic colouring.
The difficulty centers on the triad of /ə/ vs /ɪ/ in the first syllable, the tense, rounded /ɔː/ in the stressed second syllable, and the voiced final /bz/ cluster, which requires precise voicing and closure without creating a separate syllable. The transition from /ˈzɔːr/ to /bz/ demands smooth coarticulation to avoid an audible /s/ or a gap before the final /z/.
In rapid speech, speakers may link or elide slightly, but the final /bz/ typically remains audible as a brief voiced consonant cluster. Some speakers might compress the vowel a bit, producing a lighter /ɔː/ or a quicker onset to the /bz/. Do not reduce the second syllable to a schwa; maintain the /ɔː/ quality for naturalness.
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