A dye-donor element for laser-induced thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer and an infrared-absorbing material which is different from the dye in the dye layer, and wherein the infrared-absorbing material is a bis(chalcogenopyrylo)polymethine dye. In a preferred embodiment, the bis(chalcogenopyrylo)polymethine dye has the following formula: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each independently represents hydrogen, halogen, cyano, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyloxy, aryloxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, sulfonyl, carbamoyl, acyl, acylamido, alkylamino, arylamino or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or hetaryl group; or any two of said R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 groups may be joined together to form a 5- to 7-membered substituted or unsubstituted carboxyclic or heterocyclic ring; or R.sup.1 may be joined to Z.sup.1 to form a fused 5- or 7-membered substituted or unsubstituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; or R.sup.3 may be joined to Z.sup.2 to form a fused 5- or 7-membered substituted or unsubstituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring;Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 each independently represents sulfur, oxygen, tellurium, or selenium, with the methine chain being joined ortho or para to each of Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 ;Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 each independently represents hydrogen; a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or hetaryl group having from about 5 to about 10 atoms; or the atoms necessary to complete a 5- to 7-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring;each m independently is 1 to 4;n is 1 to 3; andX is a monovalent anion.