What does "infatuate" mean?
Infatuated person.
Infatuate
/ɪnˈfætjuˌ(w)eɪt/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Infatuated person.
- Grammar: infatuate is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: addict, admirer, adorer, aficionado.
- Useful contrasts: bore, detached, discourage.
- Usage evidence: If the mine was a “developed” one, and had no pay ore to show (and of course it hadn’t), we praised the tunnel; said it was one of the most infatuating tunnels in the land; driveled and driveled about the tunnel till we ran entirely out of ecstasies—but never said a word about the rock.
How to use "infatuate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "infatuate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "infatuate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "infatuate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "infatuate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "infatuate" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "addict" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "infatuate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Infatuated person. obsolete
"1771, Elizabeth Griffith, The History of Lady Barton, London: T. Davies & T. Cadell, Volume I, Letter 26, p. 183, […] she has a number of relations here, brothers and cousins, by the dozen; but they are all priests, and I am apprehensive that some of these infatuates may persuade her to quit me, and lock her up in a convent […]"
Verb
- 1 To inspire with unreasoning love, attachment or enthusiasm. transitive
"If the mine was a “developed” one, and had no pay ore to show (and of course it hadn’t), we praised the tunnel; said it was one of the most infatuating tunnels in the land; driveled and driveled about the tunnel till we ran entirely out of ecstasies—but never said a word about the rock."
- 2 arouse unreasoning love or passion in and cause to behave in an irrational way wordnet
- 3 To make foolish. obsolete, transitive
"[…] wee beggard our selues by hearkning after false riches, and infatuated our selues by hearkning after false knowledge."
Adjective
- 1 Infatuated, foolishly attracted to someone. obsolete
"He is infatuate about her."
- 2 Foolish, lacking good judgement. obsolete
"Helas I lamente the dull abuſyd brayne The enfatuate fantaſies the wytles wylfulnes Of on and hothyr at me that haue dyſdayne"
Antonyms
Example
"If the mine was a “developed” one, and had no pay ore to show (and of course it hadn’t), we praised the tunnel; said it was one of the most infatuating tunnels in the land; driveled and driveled about the tunnel till we ran entirely out of ecstasies—but never said a word about the rock."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "infatuate"?
Common synonyms include: addict, admirer, adorer, aficionado, allure, amateur.
How do you use "infatuate" in a sentence?
If the mine was a “developed” one, and had no pay ore to show (and of course it hadn’t), we praised the tunnel; said it was one of the most infatuating tunnels in the land; driveled and driveled about the tunnel till we ran entirely out of ecstasies—but never said a word about the rock.
How do you pronounce "infatuate"?
Pronounced /ɪnˈfætjuˌ(w)eɪt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
First attested in 1533; from Middle English infatuate and/or borrowed from Latin infatuātus, see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and Etymology 2 for more.
Etymology 2
First attested in 1477, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English infatuate (“foolish”, adjective), from Latin infatuātus, perfect passive participle of infatuō, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (noun-forming suffix).