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

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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 Weathering occurs when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere chemically reacts with material on Earth’s surface – such as rocks, minerals and water – to create soils imbued with nutrients that can support plants and other living organisms. Chris Impey, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2025 Greaves, who was born in 1926 in Harlem and grew up there, was himself an heir of the Harlem Renaissance, imbued with the cultural currents that issued from it. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025 Initially, the tone of the hit track was imbued with more anxiety, and Curtis retooled the song to the more uplifting version viewers will recognize today. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2025 Late ‘80s delves into electronic minimalism, dreamy club, and experimental guitar, all seven songs imbued with the dull glow of starry skies. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for imbue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imbue
Verb
  • The film certainly steers clear of Emmerichian overdrive, but it is suffused with hopelessness — on both an intimate and an epic scale.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
  • But the hot gas that suffused the space between the galaxies in each cluster would have crashed head-on.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Dove knows a thing or two about infusing yummy aromas into moisturizing products.
    Staff Author, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The bond is infused with biotin to nourish while gripping lash clusters securely, and the seal is enriched with vitamin E to eliminate tacky residue and keep everything looking seamless.
    Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 25 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Imbue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imbue. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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