swallow somebody/something ↔ up phrasal verb ( see also ↑ swallow )
1 . if a company or country is swallowed up by a larger one, it becomes part of it and no longer exists on its own:
Hundreds of small companies have been swallowed up by these huge multinationals.
2 . written if something is swallowed up, it disappears because something covers it or hides it:
Jane was soon swallowed up in the crowd.
The countryside is gradually being swallowed up by new developments.
3 . if an amount of money is swallowed up, you have to spend it to pay for things:
The extra cash was soon swallowed up.