Definition

1. Verb (Transitive):

   • To take in and understand information or ideas fully: To incorporate knowledge or experiences into one's understanding.
   • To absorb and integrate people or cultural elements into a wider society or group: To cause individuals or groups to adopt the customs, attitudes, and language of a dominant culture.
   • To absorb and incorporate nutrients or substances: In biology, to take in and use as nourishment.

2. Verb (Intransitive):

   • To become similar or part of a larger whole: To adapt and blend into a surrounding culture or environment.
   • In phonetics, to become similar in sound to a neighboring sound: For a sound to change to become more like an adjacent sound.

Usage and Examples

• Transitive Verb:

  • It takes time to assimilate complex information. (To fully understand)
  • The country has a policy to assimilate new immigrants. (To integrate into society)
  • Plants assimilate carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. (To absorb and use)

• Intransitive Verb:

  • Many immigrants choose to assimilate into their new homeland. (To adapt and blend in)
  • In rapid speech, the /n/ sound can assimilate to /m/ before a /p/, as in "input." (To change phonetically)

Advanced Usage

• "Assimilate to/into": To adapt or become similar to a particular group or standard.
  • She worked hard to assimilate into the corporate culture.
• Concept of Cultural Assimilation: The process by which a minority group adopts the patterns of the dominant culture, sometimes leading to loss of original cultural identity.

Variants and Related Words

• Assimilation (n): The process or result of assimilating.
  • Linguistic assimilation is common in all languages.
  • Cultural assimilation can be a controversial topic.
• Assimilative (adj): Having the quality of assimilating or causing assimilation.
  • The society had a highly assimilative nature.

Synonyms

• Absorb: To take in or soak up.
• Integrate: To combine into a whole.
• Incorporate: To take in or include as part of a whole.
• Digest: To understand or absorb information.

Antonyms

• Segregate: To set apart from others.
• Differentiate: To recognize or show a difference.
• Reject: To refuse to accept or consider.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Assimilation Policy: A government policy encouraging or forcing minority groups to adopt the dominant culture.
• Phonetic Assimilation: A common sound change where a phoneme alters to become more similar to a neighboring sound.

Verb

1. become similar in sound
   • The nasal assimilates to the following consonant
2. take (gas, light or heat) into a solution
3. make similar
   • This country assimilates immigrants very quickly
4. become similar to one's environment
   • Immigrants often want to assimilate quickly
5. take up mentally
   • he absorbed the knowledge or beliefs of his tribe