infatuation
noun
in·fat·u·a·tion
in-ˌfa-chə-ˈwā-shən 
-chü-ˈā-
plural infatuations
1
: a feeling of foolish or obsessively strong love for, admiration for, or interest in someone or something : strong and unreasoning attachment
She speaks openly about the real-life subject of one of her songs, a conservatory teacher who is both a neighbor in her apartment building and the unwilling object of her obsessive infatuation.—
Sasha Frere-Jones
Sasha Frere-JonesCraig Claiborne wrote about it in 1963, when he was deep in his infatuation with dill and meatballs and all things Nordic.—Amanda Hesser
Amanda Hesser2
: the object of an unreasoning or foolish attachment
And then, I began trying to forge their autographs. I'm not sure why I did it at first, but it became an infatuation.—Zach Selwyn
Zach SelwynExamples of infatuation in a Sentence
had a brief infatuation with the captain of the ski team
Recent Examples on the Web
The infatuations of late elementary school solidified into something different, something more intense.
—Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
Her lonely, unrequited infatuation will drive her to dangerous, desperate acts.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 June 2025
In fact, research shows that romantic love without the obsessive intensity of early infatuation is not only possible in long-term relationships, but strongly associated with marital satisfaction, well-being and self-esteem.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Influential celebrities like Pamela Anderson and Kate Moss ended up wearing white sneakers casually throughout the ‘90s, with new companies and styles cropping up to satisfy the growing thirst for this versatile footwear — timeless enough to successfully transcend brief cultural infatuations.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for infatuation
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Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
Her lonely, unrequited infatuation will drive her to dangerous, desperate acts.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 June 2025
In fact, research shows that romantic love without the obsessive intensity of early infatuation is not only possible in long-term relationships, but strongly associated with marital satisfaction, well-being and self-esteem.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Influential celebrities like Pamela Anderson and Kate Moss ended up wearing white sneakers casually throughout the ‘90s, with new companies and styles cropping up to satisfy the growing thirst for this versatile footwear — timeless enough to successfully transcend brief cultural infatuations.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for infatuation
Cite this Entry
“Infatuation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infatuation. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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