infatuation

noun

in·​fat·​u·​a·​tion in-ˌfa-chə-ˈwā-shən 

-chü-ˈā-

plural infatuations

1

: a feeling of foolish or obsessively strong love for, admiration for, or interest in someone or something : strong and unreasoning attachment

She speaks openly about the real-life subject of one of her songs, a conservatory teacher who is both a neighbor in her apartment building and the unwilling object of her obsessive infatuation.

—Sasha Frere-Jones

Craig Claiborne wrote about it in 1963, when he was deep in his infatuation with dill and meatballs and all things Nordic.

—Amanda Hesser

2

: the object of an unreasoning or foolish attachment

And then, I began trying to forge their autographs. I'm not sure why I did it at first, but it became an infatuation.

—Zach Selwyn

Synonyms

• crush
• mash
• passion

Examples of infatuation in a Sentence

had a brief infatuation with the captain of the ski team

Recent Examples on the Web

As Anette’s suspicions of Ben’s infatuation with Alicia intensify, their secrets and lies threaten to destroy them all. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 25 Oct. 2024

All the while, Oh and Comer’s slow dance of antagonism crossed with infatuation is some of the most thrilling acting in recent television memory. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2024

As Anette’s suspicions of Ben’s infatuation with Alicia intensify, their secrets and lies burst to the surface, culminating in a jaw-dropping finale. —Katcy Stephan, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024

Addicted to opiates and alcohol, his life changes when a young man, Starkey’s Eugene Allerton, arrives on the scene, stirring Craig’s character into earth-shattering infatuation. —Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing infatuation

• self-infatuation