as in viruses
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 contagions
Neutrality allowed the nation to build strength, expand westward, and avoid the ideological contagions sweeping the continent.
—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
The lack of information surrounding outbreaks is a new and troubling trend among local and state officials nationwide, according to health advocates and lawyers who specialize in tracking foodborne illnesses and other environmental contagions.
—
Robert Anglen,
AZCentral.com,
8 Dec. 2025
This Halloween, step into stories where science meets terror, where contagions kill, landscapes devour explorers, and technology crushes the human soul.
—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Both also blamed those who were not responsible, traded in the language of contagions and moral certitude, and believed that controlling the medium could solve the problem — or, at the very least, not deepen the problem further.
—
Kevin Dickinson,
Big Think,
2 Sep. 2025
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
The lack of information surrounding outbreaks is a new and troubling trend among local and state officials nationwide, according to health advocates and lawyers who specialize in tracking foodborne illnesses and other environmental contagions.
—
Robert Anglen,
AZCentral.com,
8 Dec. 2025
This Halloween, step into stories where science meets terror, where contagions kill, landscapes devour explorers, and technology crushes the human soul.
—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Both also blamed those who were not responsible, traded in the language of contagions and moral certitude, and believed that controlling the medium could solve the problem — or, at the very least, not deepen the problem further.
—
Kevin Dickinson,
Big Think,
2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contagions
Noun
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There is no treatment for these viruses, and the plants should be removed and discarded to help prevent the spread of the virus.
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Tomatoes are susceptible to many viruses, such as tomato yellow leaf curl virus, that cause leaves to twist and curl.
Noun
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Previously, older strains appeared to lack the genetic traits that enabled them to spread, leading scientists to think that early plagues were unlikely to trigger outbreaks.
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But there's evidence that earlier plagues were just as deadly.
Cite this Entry
“Contagions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contagions. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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