Definition of infusenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb infuse differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of infuse are imbue, ingrain, inoculate, leaven, and suffuse. While all these words 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.

new members infused enthusiasm into the club

When could imbue be used to replace infuse?

While the synonyms imbue and infuse are close in meaning, imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being.

imbue students with intellectual curiosity

In what contexts can ingrain take the place of infuse?

Although the words ingrain and infuse have much in common, ingrain, used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait.

clung to ingrained habits

When is inoculate a more appropriate choice than infuse?

The meanings of inoculate and infuse largely overlap; however, inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety.

an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas

When can leaven be used instead of infuse?

The synonyms leaven and infuse are sometimes interchangeable, but leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality.

a serious play leavened with comic moments

When would suffuse be a good substitute for infuse?

While in some cases nearly identical to infuse, 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 infuse Aside from speaking in a period-appropriate tone with the right inflections, Cage infused his performance with a certain cheekiness. Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026 Across the city, there was an exuberance in the air, infused with an idealistic belief that the emerging Internet would empower people in untold new ways and make the world a better place. Jonathan Weber, Fortune, 19 May 2026 This allows the dry rub to penetrate the meat, infusing it with flavor. John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 19 May 2026 Mahonia is an evergreen shrub with intricate leaf texture that infuses movement into shady spaces. Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for infuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infuse
Verb
  • Experiments like Strachey’s were part of an explosion of postwar research on the relationship between mathematics and language, expressions of a broader fascination with the automation of knowledge, which crossed disciplines and suffused the culture.
    Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • The rest of the film consists of the brother and sister’s return to the ranch, now suffused with dread at Misael’s inability to properly care for his sibling.
    Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • In confronting this notion often taken for granted, his camera performs a rousing restoration of the power often stolen from them, ensuring that by the time the credits roll, they’re finally imbued with the kind of divinity only offered to them in name.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 May 2026
  • This is a war film less ordinary, for it is imbued with the emotional acuity of a life-changing therapist.
    Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Daniel Kretinsky, the Czech billionaire, has held a 27 per cent shareholding since investing under 1890s Holdings in 2021.
    Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 21 May 2026
  • Vorhoff noted that while municipalities nationally have invested heavily in outdoor spaces following the pandemic, that spending has begun to level off in light of other competing needs, and the economic analysis is a reminder that parks serve as more than just attractive backdrops for cities.
    Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 20 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Infuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infuse. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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