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
Nearly 800 people have been infected in South Carolina’s ongoing measles outbreak–more than 600 in 2026 alone.
—
Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Like any virus, if enough people are infected, the people become the weapon.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Researchers found that the chance of dying from cancer among cancer survivors was higher among people who'd had COVID, especially in the year after being infected.
—Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Once a person is infected, the virus can spread to others during close contact or caregiving, which is why protective equipment is critical when treating patients.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infect
Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Like any virus, if enough people are infected, the people become the weapon.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Researchers found that the chance of dying from cancer among cancer survivors was higher among people who'd had COVID, especially in the year after being infected.
—Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Once a person is infected, the virus can spread to others during close contact or caregiving, which is why protective equipment is critical when treating patients.
—Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infect
Verb
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For part of the trial of El Chapo, the city shut down the Brooklyn Bridge; his lawyers tried to move the proceedings to Philadelphia, because the jury pool was poisoned by angry commuters.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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Alice is paranoid, thinking her roommate is rearranging her shower supplies and that someone might be poisoning her food.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The report references the case of a detainee at an ICE facility who drank tap water that was contaminated with high levels of chlorine.—
Lautaro Grinspan,
AJC.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Everything from air fresheners, candles, and scented wax melts to gas stoves, dust, new furniture, and cleaning products can contaminate indoor air.—
Jamie Friedlander Serrano,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And his two Super Bowls were against the New England Patriots, taking down Belichick and Tom Brady to spoil their perfect 2007 season and the 2011 campaign.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points, Jaylon Tyson had 20 and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a big third quarter to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 129-99 and spoil LeBron James' return to Northeast Ohio.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Up against one of the league’s more robust midfielders, Rogers repeatedly used his strength and close control to roll Palhinha, who resorted to fouling him.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Instead, Prairie View A&M was forced to foul on the other end, and UAPB guard Kristyna Boyd made one of her two fouls shots with 10 seconds to go to set the final score.—
Erick Taylor,
Arkansas Online,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Infect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infect. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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