infatuation

/ɪnˌfætʃuˈeɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌɪnfˌætʃuˈeʃən] /ɪnˌfætʃuˈeɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌɪnfˌætʃuˈeʃən] /in-ˌfa-chə-ˈwā-shən How to pronounce infatuation (audio) -chü-ˈā-/ (ame, mw)

infatuation — noun

  • infatuationsingular
  • infatuationsplural

1. a powerful romantic feeling for someone that feels intense for a while but usual

1.名詞C1
釋義

a powerful romantic feeling for someone that feels intense for a while but usually fades quickly

例句

Gabriel's infatuation with the new violin teacher faded by winter break.

infatuation with + person for brief romantic feeling

After one dance, Camila mistook her infatuation for real love.

mistake an infatuation for lasting love

同義詞
  • crush

    more informal and often used for youthful romantic interest

  • fascination

    broader and less clearly romantic unless context makes it so

  • obsession

    stronger and more negative, suggesting unhealthy fixation

反義詞

文法句型

an infatuation with + person

a brief infatuation

用法筆記

Usually about a person rather than a hobby or topic. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is romantic, while sense 2 is about a strong interest in a thing or activity.

常見錯誤

❌Their calm forty-year marriage is just an infatuation.
✅Their calm forty-year marriage is deep love.
💡'infatuation' suggests a feeling that is intense, idealized, and usually not lasting.

2. a sudden, powerful interest in a subject, activity, or object that often disappe

2.名詞C1
釋義

a sudden, powerful interest in a subject, activity, or object that often disappears after a short time

例句

Christopher's infatuation with bread baking filled the kitchen with flour.

infatuation with + activity or hobby

For a month, Apinya talked about her infatuation with old film cameras.

talk about an infatuation with + thing

同義詞
  • fascination

    close in meaning but often sounds less excessive

  • craze

    often describes a fashion or popular short-lived trend shared by many people

  • obsession

    stronger and darker, often implying unhealthy behavior

反義詞
  • disinterest

    lack of curiosity or attraction toward the thing

文法句型

an infatuation with + thing

a passing infatuation with + activity

用法筆記

Usually followed by 'with' plus a hobby, object, style, or topic. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is not specifically romantic.

常見錯誤

❌His lifelong infatuation with chess never changed.
✅His lifelong passion for chess never changed.
💡'infatuation' often suggests an intense interest that may fade, so 'passion' fits better for steady long-term commitment.

3. the person or thing that someone cannot stop thinking about because of that stro

3.名詞C1
釋義

the person or thing that someone cannot stop thinking about because of that strong feeling

例句

After the play opened, Elise became the drama club's latest infatuation.

become + someone's infatuation

By August, the red motorbike was still his newest infatuation.

a thing can be an infatuation too

同義詞
  • crush

    informal and mostly used only for a person, not a thing

  • heartthrob

    used for a person, especially a famous attractive one with many admirers

  • idol

    can describe a much-admired person, though not always in a romantic way

文法句型

be someone's infatuation

the object of someone's infatuation

用法筆記

This sense names the person or thing receiving the attention, not the feeling itself. It often appears after a possessive or after verbs such as 'be' and 'become'.