imbue

verb

im-ˈbyü How to pronounce imbue (audio)
Definition of imbuenext
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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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 G‑d’s purpose in creating the world was that all of creation be sanctified, imbuing it with holiness and spirituality. —Rabbi Moishe Kievman, Sun Sentinel, 20 May 2025 Outfit your Shredder with the pincushion effect to make embedded spikes explode when shield-bashed, or imbue your gauntlets with electrifying shock. —Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025 Our family has a lifetime worth of wonderful memories and meaning imbued in this home. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 9 May 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for imbue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for imbue
  1. suffuse
  2. infuse
Verb
  • His work is suffused with such affection for the edge places where Europe bleeds into its others—Venice, Trieste, Alexandria, Algiers—that the continent becomes all edge.
    — Nicholas Dames, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
  • 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
Definition of suffuse
Verb
  • Every release has its own unique backstory, which infuses personality into the characters and helps collectors connect and engage with them on a deeper level.
    — Chelsea Tobin, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
  • But the game is changed when the wunderkind Founder and CEO of Prodigy Corporation unlocks a new technological advancement: hybrids (humanoid robots infused with human consciousness).
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 5 June 2025
Definition of infuse

Browse Nearby Words

imbroglios
imbue
imbued
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Cite this Entry

“Imbue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/imbue. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of imbue for Spanish Speakers

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