Assimilate Definition – Meaning and Usage in a Sentence

We all know what ‘to assimilate’ means, but do we use the word correctly in a sentence? English is broad, and words get introduced to the language often. It is essential to expand your grammar knowledge by learning ‘assimilate definition, meaning, and etymology’ to understand the word’s practical usage better.

“Assimilate” is a verb and noun with various meanings, mostly defined as incorporating something or someone. It is also used to mean to learn and fully understand something. You can use it in sentences when something needs to be taken into mind for full understanding or in case of an integration.

Ready to improve your speaking, writing, listening, and reading skills? And in addition, make communication easier. In this blog post, we’ll explore the definition of ‘assimilate,’ followed by some examples of how to properly use the word. Learn more about this word below.

What Is the Definition Of Assimilate?

The word “assimilate” means to absorb and integrate people’s ideas. The word is used when something new is introduced.

For instance, we can say, “John found it easy to assimilate into his new office.” The example sentence shows that John completely adapted to his new office. The word “assimilate” shows that though John was new in the office, he had wholly adapted to the new environment. One might not quickly tell if John was a new staff member .

The word “assimilate” also means “to become” or “to be like something else. For example, when someone moves to another country, they will need to assimilate by learning the new language and the culture. The word can also have scientific meanings like “assimilate” nutrients as part of digestion. The sentence means that the plant of living creatures needs to take up nutrients.

Words Related To Assimilate

One of the best and easiest ways you can learn about a word is by learning the synonyms. That will help give you a clear understanding of what you are dealing with. With that in mind, some synonyms of the word “assimilate” include:

• Understand
• Take in
• Soak up
• Ingest
• Absorb
• Incorporate
• Comprehend
• Sense

3 Main Forms of Assimilate

A single word can have different forms, and it is essential to learn the different forms and how to use them in sentences. That way, you will understand the word better and also use it correctly in different contexts. Here is a look at the different forms of the word “assimilate” their meaning and the different ways you can use it in a sentence.

1. Assimilating: “Assimilating” is an adjective, and it means “capable of taking substances like liquids, lights, gas) into a solution.” It can also mean to “be part of something or learn something new.”

• Example: After Brianna’s parents died she had such a difficult time assimilating with the step family that she ended up moving out and starting over again.

1. Assimilated: “Assimilated” is a verb that means “to take in and incorporate” or “absorb.”

• Example: College students are too busy since there is a lot of information to be assimilated into schools.

1. Assimilation: “Assimilation” is a noun that means “the process of taking in and fully understanding something or someone.”

• Example: In most religions, assimilation takes place the moment followers start feeling that their religion is superior to others.

What Is The Meaning Of Assimilate?

Assimilate means to take or learn something into the mind so as to make it a part of the thought processes, memory, and feelings. 

In other words, to assimilate something is to absorb it into one’s person. A few example sentences might be: “I have been trying to assimilate new vocabulary into my mind over the last month.” or “Your child will have to learn how to assimilate in a new school.” or “You should assimilate the history of this country before you visit.”

As you can see, people generally use assimilate as a verb to describe taking something in and incorporating it into one’s own thought processes.

Assimilate can also be used to mean “to adopt the ways of another culture” or “to become a part of a different society and culture fully.” Example in a sentence: Since she is newly married, you should not expect her to assimilate into an alien culture.

Is Assimilate a Negative Word?

Assimilated is often associated with a negative connotation as people use it mostly to show a lost culture, belief, or identity. In fact, the word is often used when people are concerned about a negative connotation and the loss of cultural identity.

However, the word is not negative, and it can be used in a positive way. If the assimilation brings some positive outcome or it’s as a result of a willing decision, we can’t say it’s a bad thing. That’s why you’ll find the word in different contexts with mixed reactions.

How to Use Assimilate In A Sentence?

As earlier noted, the word assimilate is used in sentences that describe the process of merging into a social group. It can also be used when describing something which has changed in order to become like another thing. 

More so, “assimilate” can be used in a sentence to replace synonym words like “absorb,” “blot up,” “digest,” “soak up,” or “become similar in sound.” Here are four sentences on using the word assimilate:

• It was impossible for me to assimilate with my new college classmates at first, but eventually I learned to blend in.
• White blood cells assimilate harmful bacteria by swallowing them.
• For years, the government has been trying to assimilate immigrants into our society.
• In order to improve literacy levels, the government is trying to assimilate technology into elementary schools.

10 Examples Of Assimilate In A Sentence

The best way to learn about “assimilate” is using the word in sentences. If you only learn the definition without understanding and practicing how you can use the word, you might not know the best way to use the word when speaking or writing. Let’s look at ten example sentences.

1. Did you know that when cooking the stew, some food assimilates faster than others?
2. Ever wondered why it is essential to teach your child from a young age? This is because children assimilate information more than adults.
3. There has been a controversial debate on why men are slow to assimilate change compared to women.
4. The jury will need time to assimilate the information to give a detailed judgment that content the parties.
5. The thief tried to assimilate into the crowd, but he was unsuccessful, and the police caught him.
6. Though Mary listens to the school lecture, she still has a hard time to assimilate the facts.
7. They did not assimilate the information well because the teacher was not clear when teaching; something that’s very common in statistics class.
8. Since it was his first day as the mayor, he found that he had a lot of information to assimilate, but he has not looked down yet.
9. Since I am shy, it was not easy to assimilate into college life. I still remember those days.
10. The Board of Directors had to assimilate the existing company culture and ideas before making a decision.

How Do You Spell Assimilate?

The word “assimilate” is spelled “as as· sim· i· late.”

Spelling is essential when writing the word assimilate. But first, learn the “assimilate word sounds.” to be confident when using the words in your sentences. No matter how small, a misspelling could completely alter the word’s meaning. If the spelling is incorrect, the full statement will be wrong.

How Do You Pronounce Assimilate?

The word “assimilate” is pronounced as “uh. si. muh. layt.” 

The first part, “a,” should be pronounced in a low and deep voice. “Sim” the sim part is the strong part of the word and where you put the emphasis when pronouncing. The “i” is also sharp but lower than the” sim”; it should not have a lot of emphasis so that the tone of the word can be correct. The last part, “late,” is slow and dull. Note that the “e” in the phrase is silent.

Good pronunciation helps others understand what you are saying with ease. Take the time to learn the best way to pronounce the words. With the correct pronunciation, you can be sure that it will be easy to communicate your message.

Assimilate Synonym

• Understand
• Comprehend
• Learn

Assimilate Antonym

• Unlearn
• Overlook
• Reject

How Many Syllables Are In Assimilate?

There are 4 syllables in the word “assimilate.” The syllables are divided as as-sim-i-late. The stressed syllable of the word is Sim.

History & Etymology Of Assimilate

The word assimilate is from “assimilatus,” a Medieval Latin word. Also from Latin assimulare or adsimulare.

The word is derived from the prefix “ad,” which means “to” or “towards.” And the word “similis or simulare” means “similar.” However, over time the “d” part in the prefix “ad” was changed to “s.”

When Was Assimilate First Used?

Assimilate was first introduced in the English language around the 16th Century as a verb; later in the 19th Century as a noun.

Conclusion

Now that you have read the word “assimilate” and its meaning, can you correctly use the word in a sentence? If you feel confident, write down a few sentences to practice. Make sure that you write correct sentences that show you fully understand the meaning of “assimilate.” Make sure you are creative and having some fun. Happy learning.