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
On top of that, patients are typically infected with multiple strains of the fungus, sometimes with different resistance genes.
—
Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 9 July 2025
The sylvatic plague, first introduced to the United States in the early 1900s, infects ferrets and prairie dogs through fleas.
—Catherine Reagor, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025
The number of patients infected with measles increased by six over the past two weeks, according to the data updated Monday.
—Kansas City Star, 7 July 2025
About 20% of those infected will develop a fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for infect
Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 9 July 2025
The sylvatic plague, first introduced to the United States in the early 1900s, infects ferrets and prairie dogs through fleas.
—Catherine Reagor, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025
The number of patients infected with measles increased by six over the past two weeks, according to the data updated Monday.
—Kansas City Star, 7 July 2025
About 20% of those infected will develop a fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for infect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infect
Verb
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The health secretary said vegetable oils, like canola and soybean, are poisoning Americans and driving the obesity epidemic.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
8 July 2025
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Throughout a trial lasting more than two months, Patterson maintained the beef-and-pastry dish was accidentally poisoned with death cap mushrooms, the world’s most-lethal fungus.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
Verb
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Less clear is the cancer-causing potential of talc when it’s not contaminated.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
23 July 2025
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The material, which is not contaminated, is being redeposited in nearby bird sanctuaries and new islands formed within the lake system.—
Nolan McKendry,
The Washington Examiner,
20 July 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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Villa failed to secure Champions League football after losing 2-0 against United on the final day of the season, with Martinez receiving a red card after fouling Rasmus Hojlund outside the penalty area.—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
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Batted balls that are caught in the air are outs; strikeouts occur when a batter swings through one pitch or fouls off two of them.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Infect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infect. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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