infect

verb in·fect \ in-ˈfekt \

|Updated on: 8 Jun 2018

Examples: infect in a Sentence

Definition of infect

infected; infecting; infects

transitive verb

1 : to contaminate with a disease-producing substance or agent (such as bacteria)

2 a : to communicate a pathogen or a disease to

b of a pathogenic organism : to invade (an individual or organ) usually by penetration

c of a computer virus : to become transmitted and copied to (a device, such as a computer)

3 a : contaminate, corrupt

the inflated writing that infects such stories

b : to work upon or seize upon so as to induce sympathy, belief, or support

trying to infect their salespeople with their enthusiasm

—

infector

play \in-ˈfek-tər\ noun

See infect defined for English-language learners

See infect defined for kids

Examples of infect in a Sentence

If you're sick you should stay home to avoid infecting other people in the office.
The virus has infected many people.
They were unable to prevent bacteria from infecting the wound.
Her enthusiasm has infected everyone.
The virus has infected many computers.
All the computers in the office were infected by the same virus.

Recent Examples of infect from the Web

Doctors told the woman’s family that she was infected with vibrio, a bacterial infection that people can contract after consuming raw or undercooked seafood or exposing a wound to seawater, according to the CDC.

— lindsay kimble, PEOPLE.com, "Summer Has Arrived — Here's How to Avoid Flesh-Eating Bacteria & More Warm Weather Health Hazards," 5 June 2018
However, most other mammals experience symptoms if they are infected.

— korin miller, SELF, "What to Know About the Rare and Deadly Nipah Virus," 29 May 2018
Unlike Zika, yellow fever has a vaccine but most people don't initially realize they've been infected.

— jenny staletovich, miamiherald, "Miami-Dade on alert for disease-spreading mosquitoes as rainy season kicks into gear | Miami Herald," 23 May 2018
People infected with Ebola there hop boats to major cities like the DRC’s capital Kinshasa or nearby Brazzaville — a potential public health nightmare officials are trying to prevent quickly.

— julia belluz, Vox, "In a first, the Ebola vaccine is being deployed to try to stop an outbreak from spreading.," 16 May 2018
Those who believe they are infected are encouraged to call a health care provider ahead of time so steps can be taken to prevent the spread of measles.

— max londberg, kansascity, "Child attending KC-area elementary school has measles, health department says | The Kansas City Star," 18 Apr. 2018
Students who have the mumps should not attend class when they're infected, doctors say.

— kate murphy, Cincinnati.com, "There's a mumps outbreak at the University of Cincinnati. Are you vaccinated?," 18 Apr. 2018
Sure enough, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the Petco rat was infected with the bacteria, which can be contracted through basic handling of an animal.

— taysha murtaugh, Country Living, "A Jury Just Sided With Petco in Lawsuit Over Boy's Tragic Death," 21 Apr. 2017
Why should everyone take the medicine if not everyone was infected?

— michael harriot, The Root, "The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: Lotion Is the Cure for Racism," 18 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infect.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.