absorb vs sponge up

absorb and sponge up both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
absorb	No	No	Yes	No
sponge up	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, sponge up is a hyponym of absorb; that is, sponge up is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than absorb:

Other hyponyms of absorb include mop, mop up, wipe up, blot.

absorb (verb)	sponge up (verb)
cause to become one with	absorb as if with a sponge
take up mentally
consume all of one's attention or time
devote (oneself) fully to
take in, also metaphorically
become imbued
assimilate or take in
take up, as of debts or payments
suck or take up or in