infected

adjective

in·​fect·​ed in-ˈfek-təd 

: having an infection : contaminated with an infective agent (such as a bacterium or virus)

an infected wound

Through a number of different means, these viruses persist at very low, hard-to-detect levels in infected cells.

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

She explains that leptospirosis bacteria are shed in the urine of infected animals.

—Tania Banak

The fungus produces as many as 1 million conidia per square centimeter of infected leaf surface.

—G. B. Lucas

Examples of infected in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Further, the virus can remain infectious in the air for hours after an infected person had been there. —Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026

To treat the fungus, Lalicata's advice is to prune off infected leaves. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Jan. 2026

That may be an undercount because infected people can spread the virus up to four days before symptoms appear, giving each sick individual the potential to infect a dozen more people, LaCroix said. —Erika Edwards, NBC news, 19 Jan. 2026

Measles is highly contagious, spreading through the air when a person who is infected coughs, sneezes, breathes, or talks. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of infect

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for infected

• affected
• bisected
• collected
• connected
• corrected
• defected
• deflected
• dejected
• detected
• directed
• dissected
• effected