INFUSE Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

infuse

verb

in-ˈfyüz

Definition of infuse

as in to suffuse

to cause (as a person) to become filled or saturated with a certain quality or principle parents who infuse their children with strong moral values

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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 And this book is so infused with the careful knowledge of someone who has set their fingers to the keyboard—the favoring of the fourth finger or what have you. — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 This year, venture capital firms Stripes and Imaginary Ventures infused the brand with $18 million. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026 Singh and Oppenheim spent the next few days working on the script in a Mid-City office, then Singh spent five days alone rewriting the character of Hansen, infusing a mystical, avenging-angel undertone to his character. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 What remained were totems and symbols that were somehow infused with nobility. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for infuse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for infuse

Verb

Photograph by David Billet For years now, pop music has been suffused with a vague, or coded, malaise.

— Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Nacer is quite good at variations of patriarchal obliviousness, and Pebdani suffuses her women with streaks of guilt.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of suffuse

Verb

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced this month that his Economic Development Corporation, helmed by Biden’s former FTC chair, Lina Khan, would invest $30 million in a quantum technology lab in exchange for 15% of its profits.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Yet while humans invest billions each year to protect ourselves from disease, less than 1% of global health spending goes toward animal health.

— Robert Kelly, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of invest

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infuriations

infuse

infused

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“Infuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infuse. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of infuse

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