assimilate

/əˈsɪməleɪt/
verb
  1. To take in and understand information or ideas fully.
    • Students need time to assimilate the concepts taught in class.
    • He read the report twice to fully assimilate the data.
    • It took her a while to assimilate all the new rules at work.
  2. To absorb and digest food or nutrients into the body.
    • The body assimilates vitamins more easily from fresh fruits.
    • After surgery, it was hard for him to assimilate solid food.
    • Some people cannot assimilate lactose properly.
  3. To become part of a larger group or culture, or to cause someone to do so.
    • The tribe was forced to assimilate into the dominant culture.
    • The school helped the foreign students assimilate into the community.
    • Many immigrants assimilate into their new country over time.