infatuation

American  

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

noun

• infatuations
  plural

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• infatuations
  plural

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

See Examples For:

infatuation infatuations

On her latest album, the pop star revisits themes of infatuation and heartbreak with a deftly developed, ’80s-inspired sound.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 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

The premium could be worth it as long as AI infatuation continues.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 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

It was on the second album, and it was the only slow song they ever did; it sounded almost country, probably from Henry’s brief infatuation with hillbilly punk.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

The chapters are arranged like the bayts, or couplets, of a ghazal, and they describe a succession of infatuations, some romantic and some purely poetic, as in the odes to the 14th-century Persian lyricist Hafez.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025

Justine Wewers, a high school geography teacher in Minnesota’s Anoka-Hennepin district, said she has seen a wearying number of student infatuations over the years, including video games, “Uno” and fidget spinners.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 15, 2023

Zac returned to Nashville to record drums on the band’s 2017 album, “After Laughter” — a 12-track dance-off with depression that conjured the world-music infatuations of new wave groups like Talking Heads.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2022

It isn’t found in personal grievances or our narcissistic infatuations.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 27, 2021

They were person-specific infatuations — Brian Levithan’s wicked sense of humor was every bit as sexy as Valerie Martinez’s sweet smile and amazing krunk routines.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Related Words

• fascination
• obsession