imbue

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verb im·bue \ im-ˈbyü \

Definition of imbue

imbued; imbuing

transitive verb

1 :to permeate or influence as if by dyeing

the spirit that imbues the new constitution

2 :to tinge or dye deeply

3 :endow 3

Spanish missions imbue the city with Old World charm
—Scott Pendleton

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Examples of imbue in a Sentence

A feeling of optimism imbues her works.
her training at the school for the deaf imbued her with a sense of purpose that she had never known before

Recent Examples of imbue from the Web

One of my favorites is the buttery and juicy Chilean sea bass, which is dense yet moist, inviting the smoke to imbue the flesh with a light campfire fragrance.

— jim shahin, charlotteobserver, "Think you can’t get smoky flavors from a gas grill? Try this.," 29 Aug. 2017
In 2012, Gaultier first partnered with French house Lelièvre for a collaboration that's yielded fabrics and home accessories, all of which have been imbued with Gaultier’s signature and slightly irreverent sense of style.

— madeleine luckel, Vogue, "A Close Look at Jean Paul Gaultier’s Gorgeous Debut Wallpaper Collection," 24 Aug. 2017
As Robin Hood, Daniel Reese creates a flesh-and-blood version of the storybook character, imbuing the Middle Ages brigand with a conscience for the poor and some humorous frailties.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Old Globe's swashbuckling 'Robin Hood' is fizzy summer fun," 31 July 2017
His approach plays to the small streak of American political discourse that imbues the detention facility’s continued operation with inordinate symbolic value in the war on terror.

— joshua a. geltzer, The Atlantic, "Is Closing Guantanamo Still Conceivable?," 19 July 2017
But there’s also the formula, which is imbued with skin-care good-guys like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide, and an essence — all of which moisturize skin without feeling heavy.

— ashley weatherford, The Cut, "The Best Foundation for Summer Comes Inside a Weird Cheesecloth," 17 July 2017
Imbued with a distinct anti-war flair, the organization emphasized large-scale adult play.

— shari rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "With his life 'in play', Irvington games guru leaves a legacy for others," 30 June 2017
Laura Burhenn, the brainchild behind the indie pop project The Mynabirds, has been imbued with wanderlust all her life.

— sadie bell, Billboard, "The Mynabirds Premiere Cosmological Song 'Cocoon' & Talk Upcoming Record 'Be Here Now'," 29 June 2017
Serena Williams is known around the world as a powerhouse on the tennis court, and Vanity Fair’s August 2017 cover shows the superstar athlete imbued with a new source of power: motherhood.

— olivia aylmer, Vanities, "Behind the Scenes of the Serena Williams Cover Shoot," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'imbue.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

imbue Has Old French Roots

Like its synonym infuse, imbue implies the introduction of one thing into another so as to affect it throughout. A nation can be imbued with pride, for example, or a photograph might be imbued with a sense of melancholy. In the past imbue has also been used synonymously with imbrue, an obscure word meaning "to drench or stain," but etymologists do not think the two words are related. Imbue derives from the Latin verb imbuere, meaning "to dye, wet, or moisten." Imbrue has been traced back through Anglo-French and Old French to the Latin verb bibere, meaning "to drink."

Origin and Etymology of imbue

Latin imbuere

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First Known Use: 1555

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imbue Synonyms

Synonyms

endue (or indue), infuse, inculcate, ingrain (also engrain), inoculate, invest, steep, suffuse

Related Words

animate, charge, enliven, invigorate, leaven; implant, instill, plant; impregnate, permeate, pervade, saturate; deluge, drown, fill, flood, inundate, overwhelm, submerge

Near Antonyms

deprive, divest, strip; clear, empty; eliminate, remove, take away

Synonym Discussion of imbue

infuse, suffuse, imbue, ingrain, inoculate, leaven mean to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout. infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.