imbue
What is the opposite of imbue? Here is what we hold, with its meaning and related words.
Verb — To fill someone or something with a quality, feeling or idea so that it spreads through the whole of it.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. verb
To fill someone or something with a quality, feeling or idea so that it spreads through the whole of it.
“Her training imbued her with a deep respect for detail.”
2. verb technical or literary
To soak or saturate something with a liquid, especially a dye.
“The cloth was imbued with a deep indigo.”
How to use imbue
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
imbued with meaning
imbue with confidence
imbued with a sense of
Formal and literary; common in reviews and criticism.
Etymology
From Latin imbuere, meaning to soak, steep or stain.
Full origin of imbue →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between imbue and infuse?
They overlap closely, but imbue emphasises the result — the thing is now thoroughly filled with that quality. Infuse emphasises the act of putting it in, and is the ordinary word for flavours in cooking. You infuse oil with garlic; a place is imbued with history.
How is imbue used in a sentence?
The usual patterns are 'imbue A with B' and the passive 'A is imbued with B', where B is the quality. Say 'the film imbues the city with warmth', not 'imbues warmth to the city'.
