Sink in

Phrasal Verbs | C1

Examples and explanation

If something sinks in, then you gradually understand it or realise that it is true or real.

Sometimes something is too surprising, shocking, amazing or awful to understand or process. It can take a few seconds, minutes, hours (or even longer) to process the information. e.g. It still hasn’t sunk in that I passed the exam.

Another way of using this phrasal verb is when we are telling someone something which we believe they need to process or think about properly to fully understand. e.g. Did you know that the Earth is moving through space at a speed of 67,000 mph? Just let that sink in.

Have a go at these micro-dictation exercises to hear this expression being used in context – how much can you understand?

Accent: Scotland