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
The real-life Cordyceps, however, only infects insects such as ants, beetles, butterflies, moths and spiders — the rest of the plot is science fiction.
—
Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 6 May 2025
As of Friday, the virus has infected more than 1,000 herds across 17 states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 5 May 2025
People usually get infected with the bacteria by eating raw shellfish, especially oysters, or through an open wound that has direct contact with saltwater.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
The people getting infected have not received the vaccine or are behind on their doses.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infect
Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 6 May 2025
As of Friday, the virus has infected more than 1,000 herds across 17 states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 5 May 2025
People usually get infected with the bacteria by eating raw shellfish, especially oysters, or through an open wound that has direct contact with saltwater.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
The people getting infected have not received the vaccine or are behind on their doses.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infect
Verb
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And two, baking soda is an indiscriminate weed killer that poisons the soil.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 May 2025
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Years later, the toxic chemicals have poisoned Hong-rang’s body.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
16 May 2025
Verb
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On Mother's Day, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared photos of himself swimming alongside his grandchildren in Washington, D.C.'s Rock Creek, a waterway long known to be contaminated with high levels of bacteria.—
Dan Gooding
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
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The urban creek is contaminated mainly because of the numerous century-old municipal sewer lines that run under the park.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 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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Gorski fouled off the sixth pitch to work the count full.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2025
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Pompeu fouled Suleymanov and gave Sporting a free kick.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Infect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infect. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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