imbue
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to instil or inspire (with ideals, principles, etc)
his sermons were imbued with the spirit of the Reformation
-
rare to soak, esp with moisture, dye, etc
Other Word Forms
- imbuement noun
- preimbue verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of imbue
First recorded in 1545–55, imbue is from the Latin word imbuere “to wet, drench”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Bernthal, an Emmy winner for “The Bear,” imbues Sonny with a pinballing energy as he gabbles orders at the hostages and begins flailing negotiations with the cops massing outside.
The book cover trend, imbued with nostalgia for childhood, promises fiction that grapples with the pangs of adulthood in an age of precarity.
From Los Angeles Times
I’m a person who creates characters, imbues them with problems and makes up situations for them to struggle through toward emotional epiphanies.
From Los Angeles Times
The narrative swap imbued the character with a more substantial motivation.
From Los Angeles Times
But rather than depict a childhood of adversity, her paintings empower the kids within them to claim their own space, imbuing her memories with strength and light.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
