as in to poison
to pass something harmful (such as a disease) to someone or something else
If you come to work when you're sick, you'll infect everyone in the office.
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Recent Examples of infect
Influencers claim that many of us unknowingly get infected by parasites in our food, water, or environments.
—
Jenna Anderson, Health, 8 Aug. 2025
Telford’s lab has tested more than 3,500 nymph deer ticks (in their second life stage) between 2021 and 2024, the release stated, finding that between 1% and 2% of nymph deer ticks on Martha’s Vineyard are infected.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Morgellons disease, a form of delusional parasitosis, is a contested condition in which people are thought to have a false belief that they are infected by parasites, mites, worms or other organisms, despite testing suggesting the contrary, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
The latest outbreak of chikungunya has infected more than 7,000 in the southern Chinese city of Foshan, with sporadic cases in other neighboring cities and municipalities in Guangdong province.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infect
Jenna Anderson, Health, 8 Aug. 2025
Telford’s lab has tested more than 3,500 nymph deer ticks (in their second life stage) between 2021 and 2024, the release stated, finding that between 1% and 2% of nymph deer ticks on Martha’s Vineyard are infected.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Morgellons disease, a form of delusional parasitosis, is a contested condition in which people are thought to have a false belief that they are infected by parasites, mites, worms or other organisms, despite testing suggesting the contrary, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
The latest outbreak of chikungunya has infected more than 7,000 in the southern Chinese city of Foshan, with sporadic cases in other neighboring cities and municipalities in Guangdong province.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infect
Verb
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But Trump has poisoned those relationships through his intemperate demands and threats.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
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Given the scale of the U.S.'s deficits, the patient may already be poisoned.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The data reveals systemic vulnerabilities: only 9% of plastic waste is successfully recycled globally, microplastics now contaminate human blood as confirmed by groundbreaking research, and current projections show plastic production almost tripling by 2060.—
Trond Arne Undheim,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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To qualify as contaminated, the pollutants on the site must be proven to be harming human health or the environment.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Verb
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Gurriel fouled off the first one, which was the fastest pitch thrown by a Padres pitcher since at least 2015.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
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Blazes raging in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are fouling the air in the Midwest and Northeast, the National Weather Service said Aug. 4.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Infect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infect. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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