1
as in infectious
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
the little girl's giggles were epidemic, and soon the entire gathering was laughing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of epidemic
Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 23 May 2026
Her path began in the 1980s, when the AIDS epidemic swept through her professional world, taking colleagues and friends.
—Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
David Ferry, Wired News, 10 Dec. 2025
From Breath To Burnout The early identification of imbalances caused by chronic stress resonates deeply in our current health climate, where burnout, emotional exhaustion and cognitive fatigue are silently epidemic.
—Trisha Swift, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for epidemic
Noun
But maybe the game’s most pressing issue at this point is the epidemic frequency of arm injuries among pitchers.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 23 May 2026
Her path began in the 1980s, when the AIDS epidemic swept through her professional world, taking colleagues and friends.
—Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2026
Adjective
Autism, insulin resistance, and autoimmune diagnoses have reached epidemic proportions.
—David Ferry, Wired News, 10 Dec. 2025
From Breath To Burnout The early identification of imbalances caused by chronic stress resonates deeply in our current health climate, where burnout, emotional exhaustion and cognitive fatigue are silently epidemic.
—Trisha Swift, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for epidemic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epidemic
Noun
-
When the pandemic hit a few months later, neighbors said Fish became more isolated.—
Laura Bauer
June 2,
Kansas City Star,
2 June 2026
-
There was the comeback in April-May 2020, directly after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic; March-April 2009, which followed the Great Financial Crisis; and January-February 1975, following the first oil shock.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
While the meteor caused an eruption across Massachusetts, it was seen falling in nearby states before the explosion.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
-
Seeley drove in Allen for a 9-0 lead with a single, and Arzuaga ended the eruption with a two-run double.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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Changing litter daily can also limit exposure as toxoplasma eggs need 1 to 5 days to become infectious.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
But the energy of the production is infectious.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
The larger and more immediate risk came from the possible explosion.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
The chemical behind the explosion — ammonium nitrate — is not regulated under RMP.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Many who lived through the pandemic—and witnessed this inability to combat the lethal pestilence—developed scornful opinions of the medical profession.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
-
Parks turned into deserts, great skyscrapers leveled by blows from the tails of the monsters, and the entire population threatened in the panic and pestilence that followed the invasion.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Seemingly unyielding hunger for AI hardware has driven some analysts to predict a structural upswing in memory chip stocks, a major shift for an industry that has historically seen wild volatility in both demand and stock price.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
-
Tourist season will be on the major upswing this summer in Philadelphia as the city hosts FIFA World Cup matches, the regular MLB season on top of the MLB All-Stars game as well as events leading up to the 4th of July for America 250.—
Kaitlyn McCormick,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
That was the largest increase in the plant’s more than 30-year history, records show.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
-
Since 2019, the National Poison Data System has fielded a nearly 1,500% increase in calls related to overdoses or side effects from injectable weight loss drugs.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Epidemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epidemic. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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