as in poisoning
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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of infecting
Measles outbreaks are infecting more people this year than in any year since the early 1990s and have already killed three.
—
Suhail Bhat, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
The researchers had shown in 2023 that parasitic scraps of DNA could spread within bacterial populations by hitching rides on the tails of infecting viruses.
—Elie Dolgin, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Sep. 2025
And infecting a living cow is harder, says Robert de Vries, a virologist at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, who was also not involved in the study.
—Chris Simms, Scientific American, 25 Sep. 2025
As Rolling Stone pointed out in August, meme coins have come to represent the logic of meme culture infecting the real world.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2025
That’s the best way to keep the flies from infecting the fruits.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
These facilities agreed to and completed full cleaning and disinfection procedures to prevent the bacteria from growing and infecting others.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Central America is currently grappling with outbreaks of the destructive pest, which have been threatening livestock and infecting people.
—Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 26 Aug. 2025
The disease can be transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected person, acquiring the parasite, and then bites another person, infecting them.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 19 Aug. 2025
Suhail Bhat, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
The researchers had shown in 2023 that parasitic scraps of DNA could spread within bacterial populations by hitching rides on the tails of infecting viruses.
—Elie Dolgin, IEEE Spectrum, 25 Sep. 2025
And infecting a living cow is harder, says Robert de Vries, a virologist at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, who was also not involved in the study.
—Chris Simms, Scientific American, 25 Sep. 2025
As Rolling Stone pointed out in August, meme coins have come to represent the logic of meme culture infecting the real world.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2025
That’s the best way to keep the flies from infecting the fruits.
—Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
These facilities agreed to and completed full cleaning and disinfection procedures to prevent the bacteria from growing and infecting others.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Central America is currently grappling with outbreaks of the destructive pest, which have been threatening livestock and infecting people.
—Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 26 Aug. 2025
The disease can be transmitted when a mosquito bites an infected person, acquiring the parasite, and then bites another person, infecting them.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infecting
Verb
-
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The plot was inspired by a Japanese news report that had deeply disturbed Woo, about a lunatic guilty of poisoning baby formula.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But the church also taught that the power of music could be corrupting.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Tales From Beyond the Pale co-creator Glenn McQuaid unleashes a Jason Voorhees whose appearance is concealed not by a hockey mask but a squiggly blur of video noise, corrupting the handheld footage of him stalking college kids through the woods.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Raw sewage, which has gone untreated and continued to build up during the war, is contaminating the aquifer Gaza shares with Israel and Egypt—creating ideal conditions for waterborne disease outbreaks.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
-
That may be evidence that profitable firms make money in part by contaminating the environment rather than paying for pollution prevention or cleanup.—
Jennifer Brodmann,
The Conversation,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Australia went in hard on several other tackles, with NYCFC’s Aiden O’Neill twice fouling American players with harsh tackles — first taking out James Sands from behind in the 45th minute, then going after the midfielder again near the sideline just two minutes later.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Well, except for fouling on plays that, a year ago, may have gone uncalled.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Pasteurization of milk used for pumpkin spice beverages or apple cider reduces bacteria and can delay spoiling.—
Heidi Moawad,
Verywell Health,
21 Oct. 2025
-
This isn’t some crytpic way of talking about what happens without spoiling it, about some sort of self-realization.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Many have been wondering if WWE will end up giving Cargill her first world title reign in professional wrestling before the end of 2025.—
Fernando Quiles Jr,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The pregame show addressed the sports gambling scandal, with insider Chris Hayes giving some details around seven minutes in.—
Andrew Marchand,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Infecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infecting. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share