as in virus
sickness that can be passed from one person, plant, or animal to another
The rumors spread like a contagion.
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Recent Examples of contagion
Tuesday’s rat-trapping marks the start of fieldwork within Argentina's wider investigation into the origin of the contagion that struck the MV Hondius, killing three people, sickening several others and setting off a global scramble to trace passengers and their close contacts.
—
ABC News, 19 May 2026
The World Health Organization has stressed that the outbreak wasn't a repeat of COVID and that the contagion was very rare.
—CBS News, 18 May 2026
Though public health officials have said the hantavirus outbreak poses a low risk to the public, fear is its own kind of contagion.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 15 May 2026
Travel risk experts and insurers told CNBC the deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition vessel MV Hondius is not likely to dent the appeal of remote expeditions, and global health experts, as well as prediction markets, see the risks of a widespread contagion as being low.
—Barbara Booth, CNBC, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contagion
ABC News, 19 May 2026
The World Health Organization has stressed that the outbreak wasn't a repeat of COVID and that the contagion was very rare.
—CBS News, 18 May 2026
Though public health officials have said the hantavirus outbreak poses a low risk to the public, fear is its own kind of contagion.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 15 May 2026
Travel risk experts and insurers told CNBC the deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition vessel MV Hondius is not likely to dent the appeal of remote expeditions, and global health experts, as well as prediction markets, see the risks of a widespread contagion as being low.
—Barbara Booth, CNBC, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contagion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contagion
Noun
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While most issues can be resolved, if the curl is caused by a virus, the plant may not recover.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
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Historically, outbreaks caused by Bundibugyo virus have been relatively uncommon, and most diagnostic systems have therefore been designed primarily to detect the more widespread and deadlier Zaire strain.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The only danger was that theriac was thought to heat the body and thus could supposedly render an individual more susceptible to corruption by the plague.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
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Declining enrollment and rising labor costs plague school districts across the Bay Area and California, but Contra Costa County schools’ financial problems long predate its current crises.—
East Bay Times editorial board,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
Noun
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The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Early signs such as fever or weakness can resemble other viruses, before progressing to diarrhea and vomiting.—
Jane Weaver,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contagion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contagion. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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