as in infectious
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
the little girl's giggles were epidemic, and soon the entire gathering was laughing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of epidemic
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2025
In an era marked by a global epidemic of loneliness — so severe that, two years ago, our surgeon general issued a national advisory and countries such as France, Japan and the UK appointed Ministers of Loneliness — Israel’s enduring culture of mutual responsibility stood out.
—Rchin Bari, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Gary Stix, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2024
The number of colleges cutting back programs, merging and closing has reached epidemic proportions.
—Scott White, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for epidemic
Adjective
Over the past year, folk singer Jesse Welles has become an unlikely star thanks to protest songs about everything from ICE raids and the health care industry to the opioid epidemic and the invasion of Ukraine.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2025
In an era marked by a global epidemic of loneliness — so severe that, two years ago, our surgeon general issued a national advisory and countries such as France, Japan and the UK appointed Ministers of Loneliness — Israel’s enduring culture of mutual responsibility stood out.
—Rchin Bari, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
More than two millennia later, health officials are paying new attention to this old condition for a startling reason: myopia has reached epidemic levels worldwide.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2024
The number of colleges cutting back programs, merging and closing has reached epidemic proportions.
—Scott White, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for epidemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epidemic
Adjective
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The infectious energy and Justin Bieber-style appeal of 25-year-old country hitmaker Bailey Zimmerman was not reflected in the CMA nominations.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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For example, a range of different infectious pathogens and diseases can lead to different chronic medical conditions such as COVID-19 leading to long COVID, human papillomavirus to cervical cancer, Helicobacter pylori to stomach ulcers and cancer, Epstein-Barr Virus to lymphoma.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Hilleary, at the campaign event, also harshly criticized Biden’s immigration policies and his administration’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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After connecting at an event in late 2019, the couple spent lockdown together during the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually leaving their bubble and getting engaged in October 2024.—
Carrie Wittmer,
Glamour,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As part of the new study, Knutsen and her team programmed Perseverance's cameras to watch the sky after solar eruptions known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) blasted in the direction of Mars.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Kamchatka sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic activity frequently triggers earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.—
Amanda Castro
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And the plague is coming on fast, ready to kill.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Then a plague hits the household.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Sure, other fates are possible, like direct collapse to a black hole or explosions through the pair-instability mechanism, but a core-collapse supernova (also known as a type II supernova) represents the fate of the majority of the most massive stars ever to be born.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
12 Sep. 2025
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Such an explosion would happen to the smallest possible black holes, at most, once every 100,000 years, according to previous theories.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Judith is the recipient of the pestilence, Agnes stays by her side, Dad is M.I.A.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
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While pestilence crept over the walls of cities and the countryside fell into desolation—many foreign conquerors of Europe knew how to fight and plunder but not to plow or sow—the monks preserved words.—
Bernd Roeck
June 16,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2025
Noun
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The Club stock resumed its recent upswing with a 2% gain Thursday.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
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The stock still appears relatively undervalued versus peers, with potential for an additional trillion-dollar upswing if further rulings are favorable; another decision due on September 10 could shape the next move.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The brutal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on a college campus shocked the nation and is forcing it to confront what appears to be an increase in political violence across the country.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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Labor Department data released on Thursday showed one of the biggest weekly increases in jobless claims in more than a year.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Epidemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epidemic. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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