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 Smoky cumin and floral oregano infuse the rice with savory flavors. Salt and pepper. Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 17 July 2025 The addition of five-spice does wonders to this typically laden dish, infusing it with a welcome warmth and suggestion of sweetness. Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 17 July 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). Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2025 Get creative: Try infusing water with fruit or herbs for a better taste. Helen Carefoot, Verywell Health, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for infuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infuse
Verb
  • The notion that Social Security faces a shortfall suffuses the national conversation about retirement.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 24 July 2025
  • The one person who actually went to prison for the 2021 shooting death of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins is free just weeks after the tragedy suffused Alec Baldwin starring indie Western premiered and then promptly disappeared in a cloud of box office dust earlier this month.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • His Marx was imbued with a strange ironic nihilism.
    Leigh Claire La Berge, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
  • Each material, curve, and proportion is imbued with intention to reflect that spirit.
    Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Infuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infuse. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on infuse

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