to suck in
7
3.6
- phrasal verb
- /sʌk ɪn/
:
absorber
- A minute later, I was rushing down Broadway, sucking in air like a man with seconds left to live.
- sucked in breath
- suck in air
- sucked in his gut
The trauma bonds suck us back in, as does fear.
- The trauma bonds suck us back in, as does fear.
- This fan can suck air in and pressurize the motor, creating boost.
- But these two shades just with the whole fall display just really sucked me in.
- After the last time, the angry hoovering attempts continued, but this time he held strong, didn't get sucked back in.
- I think that's part of part of the the answer there, that when you do read it, it sort of sucks you in.
- I love a first chapter that just like wrecks your whole day and sucks you right in and launches you through the whole rest of the story.
- Because of the fact that your hair is porous and that your hair is going to suck that color in.
- I think the education system works for lots of people who can suck in information and then go and repeat it somewhere.
- These dark places suck you in so much that you honestly start to contemplate whether you just want to stop feeling that feeling.
- I think every website, every tweet, every Instagram photo, everything you do, the way you suck in the oxygen needs to have strategy behind it.
Examples
-
As the balloon deflated, it began to suck in the surrounding air quickly.
-
I think the education system works for lots of people who can suck in information and then go and repeat it somewhere.
-
I think every website, every tweet, every Instagram photo, everything you do, the way you suck in the oxygen needs to have strategy behind it.
-
You take a deep breath and suck in all you can of this Caribbean air you know to be precious.
Fiction book (1998) -
Drew had to suck in his breath to keep from revealing his shock.
Fiction book (1998) -
The Zen Master sucked in his breath with a pleased gasp.
Fiction book (1997) -
Levidow snored deeply, sucking in a chestful of that exotic western New Jersey oxygen.
Fiction book (1990) -
To improve your health, try to suck in fresh air deeply during your morning walk.
-
The vacuum cleaner can suck in dirt and debris from every corner of the room.
Synonyms
337
1.0
To pull liquid into the mouth, for example with a straw
143
4.8
To completely cover or hide something so it disappears
68
3.6
To eat or drink something so it goes into your body
35
3.0
Pull in and hold a liquid or gas
22
4.3
To take in liquid or information
21
4.6
Cover something completely so it cannot be seen
16
3.9
To take in and enjoy the atmosphere or information
7
3.2
To soak up liquid or learn and keep new information
6
4.0
Pull air into the lungs or small things into a machine
1
3.3
To absorb liquid using a sponge, cloth, or piece of bread
Antonyms
How Fully
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'to attract or pull someone into something' follows directly from combining 'suck' (to pull/attract) with the directional particle 'in' (into), so a learner who knows both words can infer the figurative meaning. This inward-pulling metaphor is straightforward and common cross-linguistically, making the expression immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Suck in comes from how a sponge or cloth seems to pull water inside when you press it. When a thing sucks in liquid or dust, it takes it up and holds it like the sponge. So, it means 'to take in or absorb'.