epidemic 1 of 2

noun

Definition of epidemicnext
1
as in pandemic

Related Words

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2
as in eruption

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

epidemic

2 of 2

adjective

ˌe-pə-ˈde-mik How to pronounce epidemic (audio)
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

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 epidemic
Noun
The story of the beginning of the AIDS epidemic won the Emmy for Outstanding Made for Television Movie. — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Oct. 2026 Due in large part to the opioid epidemic, injection drug use is now the primary risk factor for new hepatitis C infections in the United States. — Philip A. Chan, STAT, 8 Oct. 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
  1. pandemic
  2. eruption
  3. infectious
  4. plague
  5. explosion
  6. pestilence
  7. upswing
  8. increase
Noun
  • According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2020 Congress passed legislation that sought to mitigate the economic harm caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Even after the setback, young households remained wealthier than their counterparts were before the pandemic.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of pandemic
Noun
  • Xu Fu and Ma Junsheng also play surrogate dads to Seif, whose increasingly violent eruptions threaten to change the course of his life more than once.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The designation indicates heightened volcanic activity and the potential for an eruption, or an eruption underway with limited hazards to aviation.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of eruption
Adjective
  • The necropsy found that Jackie had multiple conditions, including a type of infectious avian flu.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In the pre-choruses, the chords and background vocals fill the spaces around Swift’s fragmented, stop-start lead vocal, creating an infectious call-and-response flow.
    — David Penn, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of infectious
Noun
  • A week ago, a call between the US president and his Russian counterpart seemed to be about an urgent clarification over a possible outbreak of plague in Siberia.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The mysterious death of a lab worker at a plague research institute in Siberia drew global attention to a region where disease risks run as deep as the permafrost.
    — Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of plague
Noun
  • More recently, the Kremlin has expressed hope that those who orchestrated the explosions will be held accountable.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The trailer also featured glimpses of steamy makeouts, ATV chases down the beach, fiery explosions, and good ol’ bar fights.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • As famine, war, pestilence and death galloped through, religious thought had been taking on an apocalyptic and self-abnegatory fervor.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
  • The breaking up of material beliefs may seem to be famine and pestilence, want and woe, sin, sickness, and death, which assume new phases until their nothingness appears.
    — Kim Crooks Korinek, Christian Science Monitor, 18 May 2026
Definition of pestilence
Noun
  • Nimesh Patel’s stock in comedy has been on an upswing lately.
    — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • That upswing in pipeline plays received a potential boost Wednesday with the Senate introduction of a bipartisan, infrastructure permitting reform bill that could gain legislative momentum before the end of the year.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of upswing
Noun
  • The third such increase went into effect this month, but this time there was no such rush.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The result is a modest but welcome increase in output, which climbs from 370 hp to 388 hp, while torque remains unchanged at 331 ft lbs.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of increase

Browse Nearby Words

epicures
epidemic
epidemics
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Cite this Entry

“Epidemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epidemic. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on epidemic

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about epidemic

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