1
as in infectious
capable of being passed by physical contact from one person to another
chicken pox, measles, German measles, and other contagious diseases
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spreading
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
the enthusiasm of the new club members was contagious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contagious
The smiling photos and his contagious laugh.
—
Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 4 May 2026
They are usually caused by germs that are highly contagious — most notably, norovirus.
—Susan Montoya Bryan, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Measles is one of the most contagious viruses and can result in serious health complications for children younger than age 5.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Measles is a highly contagious airborne viral infection that can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contagious
Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 4 May 2026
They are usually caused by germs that are highly contagious — most notably, norovirus.
—Susan Montoya Bryan, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Measles is one of the most contagious viruses and can result in serious health complications for children younger than age 5.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 1 May 2026
Measles is a highly contagious airborne viral infection that can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
—Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for contagious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contagious
Adjective
-
Officials said asymptomatic individuals are not considered infectious.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
-
His adoration, here as in all things natural, is infectious, although the birds themselves care not a whit for him, and isn’t that part of the wonder, the fun?—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
His provisional cause of death was given as multi-organ failure due to infective endocarditis, a rare infection of the inner lining or valves of the heart.—
Daniel Taylor,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
-
On July 30, Ray updated her fans again, revealing her diagnosis of infective endocarditis, a severe heart infection.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
31 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Contagious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contagious. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
