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 ashes from the crematorium chimney covered the streets, sooted the rain, dirtied the snow, damaged the crops, infected every body.
—
Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Foxes, bobcats and coyotes can be infected with trichinosis, a parasitic infection.
—Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
Some of these pathogens are human-specific, including pinworm and Shigella, which indicates that this is a way to distinguish human infected from the waste of other species.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Oct. 2025
Researchers tested for fungal infections and the newts had not yet been infected, but if the fungus were to reach the mountaintops, the species would be at significant risk.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infect
Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Foxes, bobcats and coyotes can be infected with trichinosis, a parasitic infection.
—Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
Some of these pathogens are human-specific, including pinworm and Shigella, which indicates that this is a way to distinguish human infected from the waste of other species.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 Oct. 2025
Researchers tested for fungal infections and the newts had not yet been infected, but if the fungus were to reach the mountaintops, the species would be at significant risk.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infect
Verb
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What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
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There’s often an arch detachment where the singer tries to pretend as though they haven’t actually been poisoned by being online themselves.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The incident comes after six tourists died in the Laos town of Vang Vieng last November, after drinking alcohol believed to have been contaminated with methanol.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
4 Nov. 2025
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If it’s harvested from an area that’s been polluted, there’s a possibility it could be contaminated with unsafe minerals like mercury or arsenic.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Toronto Blue Jays nearly ended their 32-year World Series drought, but the Los Angeles Dodgers spoiled their hopes in Game 7.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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Mizzou had a chance to spoil the fun and put the national spotlight on Columbia.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At that point, the Bucks were forced to foul.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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When Quentin Grimes appeared to have an open fast-break dunk, González raced across the court to foul him at the rim.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
1 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Infect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infect. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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