infatuation

American  

[in-fach-oo-ey-shuhn] / ɪnˌfætʃ uˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the state of being infatuated.

2. the act of infatuating.

3. foolish or all-absorbing passion or an instance of this.

   a mere infatuation that will not last.

4. the object of a person's infatuation.

   When I was a kid, my infatuation was stamp collecting.

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infatuation British  

/ ɪnˌfætjʊˈeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of infatuating or state of being infatuated

2. foolish or extravagant passion

3. an object of foolish or extravagant passion

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Usage

What does infatuation mean? Infatuation is the state of being infatuated—being absorbed with an extreme passion for someone or something, especially in a way that makes you foolish or unreasonable about it. Infatuation is often used to refer to the state of someone who has fallen in love with a person without really knowing them. But it can refer to any obsessive or passionate focus, such as on an activity or goal. A person who’s affected this way can be described as infatuated. The word infatuation can also refer to the object of this focus, as in Who’s that you’re staring at—your latest infatuation? Someone or something considered an infatuation can be described as infatuating. Much less commonly, infatuation can refer to the act of infatuating. Example: Your infatuation with him is clouding your judgment.

Etymology

Origin of infatuation

First recorded in 1640–50, infatuation is from the Late Latin word infatuātiōn- (stem of infatuātiō ). See infatuate, -ion

Explanation

Infatuation is falling in love with or becoming extremely interested in someone or something for a short time. If you have an infatuation with a particular singer, you probably listen to her on repeat all day long, at least this week. If something infatuates you, it has caused you to become foolish. We say you have an infatuation when you express a crazy, extreme love of something––a person, a style, a band, anything. Infatuations usually don’t last. Like incredibly intense crushes or the stomach flu, infatuations come on strong and then get forgotten.

Example Sentences

For him, the data centre project is born of "infatuation with all things digital" and "developing AI at breakneck speed in all directions".

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Admittedly, Hollywood’s infatuation with the festival has ebbed and flowed over the years, but 2026 seems like a rare outlier.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Marianne is first consumed by her own infatuation, then disconsolate when Willoughby dumps her for an heiress, and finally felled by a fever.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

I have certainly observed, in my own children, the younger generation’s infatuation with products that became obsolete just as they were born: the rotary dial phone, the disposable camera, the network sitcom.

From Slate • Aug. 11, 2025

He despised Malfoy still for his infatuation with the Dark Arts, but now the tiniest drop of pity mingled with his dislike.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• fascination
• obsession