impregnate

/ˈɪmpreɡneɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpreɡneɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /im-ˈpreg-ˌnāt ˈim-ˌpreg-/ (ame, mw)

impregnate — verb

  • impregnatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • impregnatesthird-person singular
  • impregnatingpresent participle
  • impregnatedpast tense / past participle

1. to put a liquid into a solid material so that the material absorbs it and become

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to put a liquid into a solid material so that the material absorbs it and becomes completely filled with it, often giving the material a special quality or purpose

例句

Diego impregnated the wooden fence with a chemical to stop it from rotting.

impregnate + object + with + substance for protection

Amara noticed that the smell of smoke had impregnated all her clothes.

passive sense: substance had impregnated + object

同義詞
  • saturate

    Very similar, but saturate can also be used in abstract contexts (saturate the market) and is slightly more common in everyday English.

  • permeate

    Emphasises that the substance spreads through every part of the material, often used for smells, gases, or ideas.

  • soak

    More informal and implies immersion in liquid for a period of time; cannot be used for abstract qualities.

  • infuse

    Used for liquids being absorbed gradually, especially in cooking (infuse tea with herbs); also common metaphorically (infuse with energy).

反義詞
  • extract

    To remove a substance from a material, the opposite of putting a substance into it.

  • drain

    To remove liquid from a material so it becomes dry.

文法句型

impregnate + object + with + substance

be impregnated with + substance

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice (be impregnated with). Most common in technical, scientific, or formal writing — in everyday conversation, words like soak, saturate, or fill are more natural.

常見錯誤

❌I impregnated the bread with butter.
✅I spread butter on the bread.
💡Impregnate is too formal for everyday food contexts; use soak, spread, or fill instead.
❌The sponge was impregnated with water after I dropped it.
✅The sponge was soaked with water after I dropped it.
💡Soak is the natural word for immersion in liquid; impregnate is used when a substance is made to penetrate a material deliberately or in a controlled process.

2. to cause a female to become pregnant, typically by introducing sperm so that an

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to cause a female to become pregnant, typically by introducing sperm so that an egg is fertilised inside her body

例句

Fumi helped the farmer impregnate the goats using a special method.

formal register: impregnate + animal + using [method]

Male fish release a liquid over the eggs to impregnate them.

biological context: impregnate [eggs]

同義詞
  • fertilise

    More precise for the biological process of sperm meeting an egg; fertilise is used for both animals and plants.

  • inseminate

    Refers specifically to introducing sperm into a female, often in agricultural or medical contexts (artificial insemination).

文法句型

impregnate + female animal / woman

impregnate + eggs (for fish and other egg-laying animals)

用法筆記

Mainly used in biology, veterinary science, or medicine as a formal term. For human pregnancy in everyday language, become pregnant or conceive are much more natural. Using impregnate directly about a person (she was impregnated) can sound impersonal or clinical.

常見錯誤

❌She was impregnated by her husband.
✅She became pregnant.
💡Impregnate is too clinical for everyday talk about human pregnancy; use become pregnant or conceive.
❌The doctor impregnated the patient.
✅The doctor helped the patient become pregnant through fertility treatment.
💡The direct form sounds cold; in a medical context, rephrase to focus on the treatment or outcome.

impregnate — adjective