as in to suffuse
to cause (as a person) to become filled or saturated with a certain quality or principle inoculated them with the idea that the individual can always make a difference in this world

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb inoculate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of inoculate are imbue, infuse, ingrain, leaven, and suffuse. While all these words mean "to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout," inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety.

an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas

In what contexts can imbue take the place of inoculate?

While in some cases nearly identical to inoculate, imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being.

imbue students with intellectual curiosity

Where would infuse be a reasonable alternative to inoculate?

The words infuse and inoculate can be used in similar contexts, but infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.

new members infused enthusiasm into the club

When is it sensible to use ingrain instead of inoculate?

The words ingrain and inoculate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ingrain, used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait.

clung to ingrained habits

When might leaven be a better fit than inoculate?

The meanings of leaven and inoculate largely overlap; however, leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality.

a serious play leavened with comic moments

When could suffuse be used to replace inoculate?

Although the words suffuse and inoculate have much in common, 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 inoculate George Washington required his troops be inoculated, the predecessor of vaccination, against smallpox during the American Revolution. Stacie Kershner, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2025 All people, from young children to older adults, are recommended to inoculate themselves against influenza, according to recommendations released Wednesday. Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2025 Similarly, white Americans are nearly four times as likely to skip or delay vaccinating their children compared to Asian Americans, with 19 percent and 5 percent, respectively, forgoing or putting off inoculating their kids, according to the poll. Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, 15 Sep. 2025 Develop Character To Combat Cognitive Warfare Developing and strengthening character inoculates individuals. Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inoculate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoculate
Verb
  • His music, stuffed with live instrumentation and harmonic sophistication, is suffused with the sound and spirit of Sly Stone, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix and Marvin Gaye, among many others.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Two frame types—the Breitling Chrono 0002 and Breitling Lémain 0001—are available directly from Cutler & Gross in different colors and editions, and each is suffused with nods to the Swiss watchmaker’s esteemed dive watch collection.
    Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Thus, current fears reinforce a pre-existing localism, and infuse it with new and intense emotions.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Across almost 20 novels, the British author spun fantastical tales with unsentimental wit, infusing his work with darkly morbid humor, blithe child endangerment, rotten and antagonistic adults, and a willingness to occasionally laugh at the misfortune of others.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newton, Conn., President Barack Obama had his then-Vice President Joe Biden meet with representatives of the video game industry to discuss whether their products somehow inculcated violence in society.
    Time, Time, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Part of the emotional appeal of Reaganism was that there were left-of-center reprimands that seemed like an insult, an effort to inculcate shame, an effort to cast American history in a way that wasn’t sufficiently celebratory.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Semafor traced it to a pair of US life insurers that had funneled policyholders’ cash to 777’s Bermudan reinsurer, which invested it into sports teams, airplanes, a payday lender, and a failing budget airline, among other bets generally unsuited for insurance guarantees.
    Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 18 Oct. 2025
  • With deadlines set, delayed and often re-announced with each press conference, companies can’t plan or invest.
    Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Taylor’s cerebral bent is nothing new, but here, it’s imbued with a fresh, tentative sweetness, and anchored by a genuinely swoony summer romance.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
  • That’s because, as it’s repeated, the masses will start treating the meme as if it’s imbued with meaning.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inoculate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoculate. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

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