infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.
new members infused enthusiasm into the club
suffuse implies a spreading through of something that gives an unusual color or quality.
a room suffused with light
imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being.
imbue students with intellectual curiosity
ingrain, used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait.
clung to ingrained habits
inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety.
an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas
leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality.
a serious play leavened with comic moments
Example Sentences
She has infused her followers with confidence. He has found ways to infuse new energy into his performances. She has infused confidence into her followers. His work is infused with anger. The tea should be allowed to infuse for several minutes. You should infuse the tea for several minutes. See More
Recent Examples on the WebIdeal for topping a wide variety of coffee shop favorites, our DIY cold foam can hold its own atop your go-to coffee drink or tea; slowly seeping down to infuse it with just enough richness and vanilla flavor. Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2022 For her clients’ 1940s bungalow located in Decatur, Georgia, designer Laura Jenkins of Laura W. Jenkins Interiors set out to give the kitchen a functional update and infuse it with personality. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 18 Aug. 2022 My encouragement to sales managers is to infuse themselves and their teams with an awareness of the value of problem-solving, logical thinking and social awareness. Peter Schravemade, Forbes, 4 Aug. 2022 The point was to infuse it with soft campfire and savory notes to complement the fruit and spice character of the rye. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2022 Osadebe's references to his Nigerian heritage infuse his art with nostalgia. Natalie Kainz, CNN, 10 Aug. 2022 For example, product-makers intentionally use pink or purple materials or infuse packaging, with sweet or flowery scents to appease gender-normative marketing strategies. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 28 July 2022 Here and throughout the home, traditional materials and timeless architectural detail infuse a sense of history that serves as a prologue to new stories told by a young family—and their modern art, textiles, and furnishings. Sally Finder Weepie, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2022 Show creator Graham Roland and executive producers Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin infuse the drama with a soulful tension and a real sense of place, but it’s the actors who make Dark Winds feel grounded beyond its trappings. Lauren Puckett-pope, ELLE, 28 June 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English infusen (usually in past participle enfusid, infused) "to pour in, introduce, soak," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French enfuser (in past participle enfusé) "to steep," borrowed from Latin infūsus, past participle of infundere "to pour in, instill, cause to fall or stream," from in-in- entry 2 + fundere "to pour, shed, cast, send forth, disperse" — more at found entry 5