Synonym Chooser

How does the verb suffuse differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of suffuse are imbue, infuse, ingrain, inoculate, and leaven. While all these words mean "to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout," suffuse implies a spreading through of something that gives an unusual color or quality.

a room suffused with light

When might imbue be a better fit than suffuse?

The meanings of imbue and suffuse largely overlap; however, imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being.

imbue students with intellectual curiosity

When is it sensible to use infuse instead of suffuse?

The words infuse and suffuse 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

Where would ingrain be a reasonable alternative to suffuse?

The words ingrain and suffuse 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 can inoculate be used instead of suffuse?

In some situations, the words inoculate and suffuse are roughly equivalent. However, inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety.

an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas

When is leaven a more appropriate choice than suffuse?

While in some cases nearly identical to suffuse, leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality.

a serious play leavened with comic moments

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 suffuse His dialogue was abundant and suffused with paradox and irony. Elaine Woo, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025 Feel your immortal soul being warmed and suffused with pleasures both rare and immeasurable. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024 Today, jazz suffuses the city so completely that the genre is embedded in funeral traditions here, as brass bands often accompany mourners from the church to the cemetery in a celebratory display. Nicholas Derenzo, AFAR Media, 21 Mar. 2025 The rhythmic and narrative thrust of Khan’s Kathak suffuses everything. Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for suffuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suffuse
Verb
  • Abramović’s work has always been educationally infused with Balkan wisdom and sensibilities from her childhood — she was born in Belgrade, Serbia, then part of Yugoslavia.
    Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 24 May 2025
  • The hotel's dog-friendly atmosphere infuses the space with warmth, while the nearby Brooklyn Bowl provides an ideal launchpad for nighttime adventures.
    Malik Peay, USA Today, 24 May 2025
Verb
  • The difference between the two can be broken down as follows: Mineral Sunscreens Mineral sunscreens, also known as physical sunscreens, block the sun’s harmful UV rays from penetrating the skin.
    Audrey Noble, Vogue, 26 May 2025
  • The sprawling but penetrating 4½ hour documentary about French complicity with its Nazi captors during the war exploded the myth that the French resisted their occupiers.
    Richard Natale, Variety, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • Made by the expert hands of Italian craftsmen — guardians of centuries-old jewelry traditions — these treasures emerge as miniature masterpieces, imbued with an unmistakable allure.
    Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 23 May 2025
  • But her watchful, alert bearing imbues the character with a sort of unspoken backstory.
    Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Here’s how: The value of the Higgs field that pervades all of space would have to increase—something physicists liken to rolling a boulder up a hill.
    Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
  • Fixing the flaws that pervade the current market is an opportunity that the 119th Congress should not let slip away.
    Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Wendell said his company decided to invest more in the city after getting reassurances from city leaders.
    Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
  • Despite investing heavily in modernization, these legacy systems pose a major obstacle.
    Sahar Hashmi, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • The red smoke from flares permeated the air, red dust covered the soles of shoes, and crowds were still in full celebration mode around the Strand when word quickly spread that a van had plowed into the crowd on Water Street.
    Julia Andersen, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
  • Geniuses on this level often clash, but what always strikes me about Ben and Jess is the mutual trust and respect that permeates their every conversation.
    Dan Erickson, IndieWire, 29 May 2025
Verb
  • And if how well graduates do in the labor market is now a key driver of excellence, that should translate into greater economic mobility for students and a more prepared talent supply to fill key jobs in local economies.
    Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • Whenever a network booking agent asked for someone from the magazine to fill a seat and dish on the day’s sports news, most writers shrugged.
    Zak Keefer, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Verb
  • Everyone should inculcate the ability to identify root causes and recognize patterns, feedback loops and relationships that influence outcomes rather than focusing on isolated components.
    Balmukund Shukla, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • Nothing left to do but build and inculcate my fantastical atoms, unable to catch a break.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 15 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Suffuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suffuse. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on suffuse

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!