infatuation
in-fach-oo-AY-shun
/ɪnˌfætʃ.uˈeɪ.ʃən/
An intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something.
Implies an irrational crush driven by fantasy rather than genuine, deep knowledge of the other person.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'fatuus', meaning foolish, senseless, or silly (the same root that gives us 'fatuous'). To experience infatuation is literally to be made foolish by intense charm.
Word relationships
- crush: Crush is an informal, colloquial term, while infatuation is standard, literary, and formal.
- obsession: Obsession emphasizes fixated thoughts that can be dark or disruptive, whereas infatuation is usually intensely romantic or idealized.
- indifference: Indifference means total lack of romantic or personal interest.
- disenchantment: Disenchantment is the loss of romantic illusions.
Commonly confused with
- inflation: Inflation is an economic rise in prices or physical swelling, while infatuation is short-lived romantic passion.
Word family
- infatuate (verb): To inspire with foolish passion.
- infatuated (adjective): Possessed by an intense, short-lived passion.
Collocations
- passing infatuation
- brief infatuation
- infatuation with
Idioms & expressions
- puppy love
- flash in the pan
Example sentences
- "What he thought was true love turned out to be a passing adolescent infatuation." Youthful romance
- "Infatuation often blinds people to critical red flags in a new relationship." Analyzing psychological phenomena
Memory hook
INFATUATION makes you act FATUOUS (foolish). Short-lived passion that obscures wisdom.
When not to use
Do not use to describe a stable 50-year marriage built on shared history and mutual sacrifice.
Fun facts
- Psychologists note that the neurochemistry of infatuation releases high levels of dopamine, resembling a temporary natural high.
Related words
Also appears in
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