Standard Lemma guide

infuse

verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪnˈfjuz/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːz
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N F Y UW1 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To cause to become an element of something; to insert or fill.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To steep in a liquid, so as to extract the soluble constituents (usually medicinal or herbal).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • 1806-1831, John Redman Coxe, The American Dispensatory One scruple of the dried leaves is infused in ten ounces of warm water.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To inspire; to inspirit or animate; to fill (with).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To instill as a quality.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: breathe

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To undergo infusion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • Let it infuse for five minutes.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To make an infusion with (an ingredient); to tincture; to saturate.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To pour in, as a liquid; to pour (into or upon); to shed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

introduce into the body through a vein, for therapeutic purposes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Some physiologists infuses sugar solutions into the veins of animals

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inject, shoot

9

verb

Meaning 9

let sit in a liquid to extract a flavor or to cleanse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • steep the blossoms in oil
  • steep the fruit in alcohol

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: steep

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: soak, imbue

Narrower terms: marinade, marinate, decoct, infuse, draw

10

verb

Meaning 10

undergo the process of infusion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the mint tea is infusing

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: steep, infuse

11

verb

Meaning 11

fill, as with a certain quality

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The heavy traffic tinctures the air with carbon monoxide

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: impregnate, instill, tincture

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fill, fill up, make full

12

verb

Meaning 12

teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • inculcate values into the young generation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inculcate, instill

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: drill

Narrower terms: din

History

Etymology

From Middle English infusen, from Latin infusus, from infundo.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: наливам (nalivam) — to insert or fill
  • Esperanto: infuzi — to insert or fill
  • Portuguese: infundir — to insert or fill
  • Spanish: infundir — to insert or fill
  • Armenian: թրմել (tʻrmel) — to steep in a liquid
  • Bulgarian: запарвам (zaparvam) — to steep in a liquid
  • Chinese Mandarin: 泡 (pào) — to steep in a liquid
  • Chinese Mandarin: 沏 (qī) — to steep in a liquid
  • French: infuser — to steep in a liquid
  • German: ziehen lassen — to steep in a liquid
  • Norwegian Bokmål: trekke — to steep in a liquid
  • Polish: zaparzać — to steep in a liquid
  • Polish: zaparzyć — to steep in a liquid
  • Portuguese: embeber — to steep in a liquid
  • Portuguese: mergulhar — to steep in a liquid
  • Portuguese: infundir — to steep in a liquid
  • Romanian: infuza — to steep in a liquid
  • Russian: наста́ивать (nastáivatʹ) — to steep in a liquid
  • Russian: настоя́ть (nastojátʹ) — to steep in a liquid
  • Russian: зава́ривать (zavárivatʹ) — to steep in a liquid
  • Russian: завари́ть (zavarítʹ) — to steep in a liquid
  • Slovene: popariti — to steep in a liquid
  • Spanish: infusionar — to steep in a liquid
  • Bulgarian: вдъхвам (vdǎhvam) — To inspire; to inspirit or animate; to fill (with)
  • Portuguese: infundir — To inspire; to inspirit or animate; to fill (with)