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
Noun a serious book that includes a few humorous stories as leavenVerb He needs to leaven his speeches with more humor. using yeast to leaven the dough
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
All the more reason, therefore, for the one person uniquely positioned to be a lever for peace, and leaven of justice, to act. Tim Kelleher, National Review, 3 Mar. 2022 Pulque would supply a baker with an abundance of yeasts to leaven bread.Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2022 Having faith that we are created beings made for more than our jobs and presidential elections makes things like virtue and the Beatitudes leaven in our mess of the world. Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, 28 Feb. 2022 Larger, more opulent parades will follow in February as Mardi Gras nears and the city attempts to leaven the season's joy with caution. Kevin Mcgill, ajc, 6 Jan. 2022 But touches like the Ron Swanson leaven the deep thoughts with a little fun.al, 7 Sep. 2021 During the seven or eight-day festival, all leaven, in bread or otherwise, is prohibited, and only matzo — unleavened bread — may be eaten, which symbolizes Hebrew suffering while in slavery and their ensuing deliverance and exodus. Andre Toran, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2021 To leaven the choice, Bush designated Bob Teeter to be deputy chief of staff. Tevi Troy, Washington Examiner, 18 Feb. 2021 The first casualty of that policy could be the handful of lighter and quirky bills that usually leaven each session.Washington Post, 29 Nov. 2020 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English levain, from Anglo-French levein, from Vulgar Latin *levamen, from Latin levare to raise — more at lever