assimilate
Take in completely
Assimilate means to absorb and integrate.
Food is assimilated into the body.
Information is assimilated into understanding.
Immigrants assimilate into a new culture by adopting its language, customs, and values—though the word can carry undertones of pressure to abandon one's original identity.
In science fiction, assimilate often describes forced absorption into a collective: Resistance is futile; you will be assimilated.
Behave as expected
- uniformityState of being identical
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- groupthinkConformity-driven poor decisions
- conventionalityAdherence to accepted customs
acquiescence · orthodoxy · erasure · homogenize · normalize
Take in fully
- digestMetabolize or summarize
- ingestTake into body
- soakSaturate with liquid
- permeateSpread through entirely
imbibe · engulf · saturation · diffuse · penetrate · pervade · osmosis · seep
Absorb into something larger
- integrateCombine into unified whole
- mergeCombine into unity
- combineMerge, or harvesting machine
- blendCombine into mixture
fuse · amalgamate · consolidate · unify · synthesize · meld · coalesce · intermingle
Adopt another group's practices
- integrateCombine into unified whole
- adaptModify for new conditions
- enculturationAcquiring cultural norms unconsciously
- socializationInternalizing cultural norms
multiculturalism · immigration · naturalize · mainstream · diaspora · heritage · belonging · citizenship
Acquire knowledge or skill
- comprehendTo fully understand
- understandGrasp the meaning
- graspSeize or understand
- absorbTake in fully
apprehend · discern · internalize · master · acquire · process · retain · synthesize
conform
Behave as expected
- uniformityState of being identical
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- groupthinkConformity-driven poor decisions
conventionality · acquiescence · orthodoxy · erasure · homogenize · normalize
absorb
Take in fully
permeate · imbibe · engulf · saturation · diffuse · penetrate · pervade · osmosis · seep · infiltrate
incorporate
Absorb into something larger
blend · fuse · amalgamate · consolidate · unify · synthesize · meld · coalesce · intermingle · harmonize
acculturate
Adopt another group's practices
- integrateCombine into unified whole
- adaptModify for new conditions
- enculturationAcquiring cultural norms unconsciously
socialization · multiculturalism · immigration · naturalize · mainstream · diaspora · heritage · belonging · citizenship · bicultural
learn
Acquire knowledge or skill
- comprehendTo fully understand
- understandGrasp the meaning
- graspSeize or understand
absorb · apprehend · discern · internalize · master · acquire · process · retain · synthesize · cognize
- adaptadapt, adjust, acclimate, accommodate, accustom
- conformityconformity, conforming, conform, conformist, conformism
- understandunderstand, grasp, realize, comprehend, get it
- absorbsoak, soak up, sponge, imbibe, blot
- Star TrekSpock, Kirk, Enterprise, USS Enterprise, Captain Kirk
- sci-fi verbsteleport, warp, beam up, time travel, hyperdrive
assimilatesegregate
Separate by category
exclude · separate · isolate · reject · marginalize
assimilatemisunderstand
Grasp incorrectly
reject · misapprehend · misconstrue · misinterpret · misperceive
- forced assimilationCompelled cultural absorption
- cultural assimilationAdopting another group's norms
- immigrant assimilationNewcomers adopting local customs
- assimilation policyEnforced cultural absorption mandate
- assimilation policiesForced adoption of dominant culture
- social assimilationMerging into prevailing culture
assimilation, assimilated, assimilating, assimilates, assimilative, assimilable, assimilationist, assimilations, unassimilated