adsorb

verb

ad·​sorb ad-ˈsȯrb How to pronounce adsorb (audio) -ˈzȯrb How to pronounce adsorb (audio)
adsorbed; adsorbing; adsorbs

transitive verb

: to take up and hold by adsorption

intransitive verb

: to become adsorbed
adsorbable
ad-ˈsȯr-bə-bəl How to pronounce adsorb (audio)
-ˈzȯr-
adjective
adsorber
ad-ˈsȯr-bər How to pronounce adsorb (audio)
-ˈzȯr-
noun

Examples of adsorb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After testing different types of bags without tea inside, the researchers found cotton and nylon bags only adsorbed trivial amounts of contaminants, but cellulose bags worked very well. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Feb. 2025 Brewing tea may naturally adsorb heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, according to the study published Monday in the journal ACS Food Science & Technology. — Kristen Rogers, CNN, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from adsorption

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of adsorb was in 1809

Rhymes for adsorb

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Browse Nearby Words

adsmith
adsorb
adsorbate
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Cite this Entry

“Adsorb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adsorb. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

adsorb

verb
ad·​sorb ad-ˈsȯrb How to pronounce adsorb (audio) -ˈzȯrb How to pronounce adsorb (audio)
: to take up and hold or to become taken up by adsorption

Medical Definition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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