as in to suffuse
to cause (as a person) to become filled or saturated with a certain quality or principle her training at the school for the deaf imbued her with a sense of purpose that she had never known before

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb imbue differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of imbue are infuse, ingrain, inoculate, leaven, and suffuse. While all these words mean "to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout," imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being.

imbue students with intellectual curiosity

When can infuse be used instead of imbue?

In some situations, the words infuse and imbue are roughly equivalent. However, infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.

new members infused enthusiasm into the club

When might ingrain be a better fit than imbue?

The words ingrain and imbue can be used in similar contexts, but ingrain, used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait.

clung to ingrained habits

In what contexts can inoculate take the place of imbue?

While the synonyms inoculate and imbue are close in meaning, inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety.

an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas

When would leaven be a good substitute for imbue?

Although the words leaven and imbue have much in common, leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality.

a serious play leavened with comic moments

Where would suffuse be a reasonable alternative to imbue?

While in some cases nearly identical to imbue, suffuse implies a spreading through of something that gives an unusual color or quality.

a room suffused with light

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of imbue While Jean Seberg once imbued Cécile with girlish petulance, McInerny gives the role an electric charge of ambivalence. Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 1 May 2025 From a Stoic standpoint, our ability to make choices is imbued with deeper significance. Davide Sartini, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 Her relentless pursuit of justice, using her smartphone to document conversations and gather evidence, imbues the documentary with an intense intimacy and determination. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 1 May 2025 Instead, most of Bernadette’s assumptions — that working the border is an honorable act, or that a federal position will imbue her with more authority, or that all Native people will have the same opinions and the same goals — are upended over the course of the season. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imbue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imbue
Verb
  • Kaunas: Where the Grand Duchy Endures As the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — one of Europe’s largest and most powerful nations during the Late Middle Ages and early Renaissance — Kaunas is suffused with history.
    Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Pak Bae The music of the indie rock band Japanese Breakfast is suffused with longing.
    Lindsay Totty, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • CoD should be comfortably infused in your prompting mindset when using generative AI.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • Built in 1930 and infused with quintessential French Riviera glamour, the cliffside estate’s most legendary claim to fame is one of its former owners.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 11 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Imbue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imbue. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on imbue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!