1
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of epidemic
Claire Wang, Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026
Some captives had come down with smallpox during an epidemic in Lima and carried it home, spreading it to others.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Byjon Cohen, science.org, 9 Dec. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for epidemic
Noun
Costa Mesa filed a lawsuit in 2019 against manufacturers and distributors of opioid drugs to recover treatment expenses and abate future impacts of the epidemic on the local community.
—Claire Wang, Oc Register, 27 Jan. 2026
Some captives had come down with smallpox during an epidemic in Lima and carried it home, spreading it to others.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
But some researchers say the response should not be limited to the epidemic hot spots in big cities.
—Byjon Cohen, science.org, 9 Dec. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for epidemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epidemic
Noun
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Such plans, which provide benefits for more than half of the nation’s Medicare beneficiaries, have been hit hard by rising costs in the last two years in part because seniors have a pent up demand for healthcare following the COVID-19 pandemic when many patients delayed treatment.—
Bruce Japsen,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The double-digit rise in homelessness from 2022 to 2024 can be attributed to the end of COVID-era eviction moratoriums and emergency rental assistance programs, county officials said, which had kept many people housed during the pandemic.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Perhaps a cataclysm—an earthquake, a volcanic eruption—had driven those people away.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The eight main islands were formed by eruptions, landslides and erosion over thousands of years.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Raimi, in his first foray into horror since 2009’s Drag Me to Hell, attacks the material with a joyous ferocity that proves infectious.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Driven by salsa’s infectious rhythms and reimagined through a modern lens, the song — which bridges generations and honors tradition — laces Fonsi’s soaring vocals with Feid’s smooth, melodic voice.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That sickness felt like a plague Wednesday as Auburn shot 39 of them on 26 Texas fouls.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In the 1980s, right-wing firebrands such as Jerry Falwell and Anita Bryant claimed that the AIDS epidemic was a plague sent by God to punish gay people.—
Hillary Rodham Clinton,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Video footage that appeared to be taken at the scene captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
An explosion was reported at a metal fabricating plant on Thursday night in Pennsylvania, according to officials.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As an example, the celestial dog was thought to aid the sun in causing the intense heat, drought and pestilence of summer.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Famines, pestilence, crusades, and war.—
Greg Grandin
September 23,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Fueled by an upswing in the South Bay, the Bay Area gained thousands of jobs in December 2025.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
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What once looked like a cyclical upswing now resembles a sustained re-rating of gold's place in the global financial system.—
Sharon Wu,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Even so, salary increases remain comparatively high by historic standards (the pre-pandemic norm was 3%) amid higher total labor expenses (which include salaries, bonuses, variable pay and benefits costs).—
John M. Bremen,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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The goal is to have office construction increase, said Mike Smith, president and CEO of Charlotte Center City Partners.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Epidemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epidemic. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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