To assimilate is to take in new information, ideas, or people and make them part of an existing system, culture, or understanding.
It comes from Latin *assimilare*, meaning 'to make similar', from *ad-* 'to' and *similis* 'like'. It originally referred to making one thing like another, and then to absorbing and blending it into the whole.
Your brain is constantly assimilating: every new idea gets reshaped to fit what you already believe. That’s why truly new ideas can feel uncomfortable—they don’t fit yet, and your mind has to stretch to make room.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.