suffuse
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
suffusesimple
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suffusessimple
-
have suffusedperfect
-
has suffusedperfect
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am suffusingprogressive
-
are suffusingprogressive
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is suffusingprogressive
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have been suffusingperfect progressive
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has been suffusingperfect progressive
Past
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suffusedsimple
-
had suffusedperfect
-
was suffusingprogressive
-
were suffusingprogressive
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had been suffusingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of suffuse
First recorded in 1580–90, suffuse is from the Latin word suffūsus (past participle of suffundere ). See suf-, fuse 2
Explanation
The verb suffuse means to spread and fill a space, like the way the smell of wildflowers might suffuse a meadow. Suffuse is a synonym for steep. Like tea whose flavor grows stronger the more it steeps, when you suffuse something it spreads throughout until an area is full, or even overly full. Another synonym, infuse, looks a lot like suffuse. Both words come from the Latin word fundere, which means "to pour."
Vocabulary lists containing suffuse
The Alchemist
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Song of Solomon
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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.
Online tools suffuse the modern classroom, requiring students to navigate Canvas and download readings from the school library.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
Nonsurgical options like dermal fillers or fat grafting can suffuse depressions to create a more centered appearance.
From Slate • Feb. 22, 2026
With each breath, we suffuse our bodies with oxygen-rich air that keeps our organs and tissues healthy and working properly -- and without oxygen, we can survive mere minutes.
From Science Daily • Mar. 6, 2024
Baumbach runs with their children’s antic energy and lets it suffuse other parts of his film, animating even the story’s more difficult third part with humor and affection that reflect the book’s tone.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2022
That winter seemed to stretch on interminably, but spring finally crept back to West Riding to suffuse the meadow in a glow of pale green.
From "Ash" by Malinda Lo
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.
