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.
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Recent Examples of infecting
It's revealed that this beauty drug is infecting people with a virus that leads to death, luring in an investigation by FBI Agents Cooper Madsen, played by Evan Peters, and Jordan Bennett, played by Rebecca Hall.
—
Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, the Larian Studios RPG follows a party that seeks to cure themselves of a parasitic tadpole infecting their brains.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
But while the risk of infecting someone else is lower than if the person had been unvaccinated, some risk still exists, according to the state health department.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025
The virus infecting poultry populations was one reason egg prices skyrocketed earlier this year.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 17 Dec. 2025
In cooler, drier air, those droplets hang around longer, raising the chances of infecting people nearby — the same effect can happen with air conditioning, which also reduces humidity.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
Measles spreads with extraordinary efficiency through respiratory droplets, infecting 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Dec. 2025
Medflies can ruin more than 250 kinds of produce by infecting them with maggots.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
Cutting back herbaceous and intersectional peonies in late fall keeps pests and diseases from overwintering in the dead foliage and stems and infecting the plant’s new growth when spring returns.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, the Larian Studios RPG follows a party that seeks to cure themselves of a parasitic tadpole infecting their brains.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
But while the risk of infecting someone else is lower than if the person had been unvaccinated, some risk still exists, according to the state health department.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 23 Dec. 2025
The virus infecting poultry populations was one reason egg prices skyrocketed earlier this year.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 17 Dec. 2025
In cooler, drier air, those droplets hang around longer, raising the chances of infecting people nearby — the same effect can happen with air conditioning, which also reduces humidity.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
Measles spreads with extraordinary efficiency through respiratory droplets, infecting 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Dec. 2025
Medflies can ruin more than 250 kinds of produce by infecting them with maggots.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025
Cutting back herbaceous and intersectional peonies in late fall keeps pests and diseases from overwintering in the dead foliage and stems and infecting the plant’s new growth when spring returns.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infecting
Verb
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In November 2024, an American citizen was among six tourists who died in Laos, where alcohol tainted with methanol was blamed for poisoning them.—
Jay Ganglani,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
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What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And along the way enrich himself and partner with some of the world's most dangerous and violent drug traffickers and corrupting his country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Jan. 2026
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First, someone, like the objecting citizen in Denton, warns that a dangerous force is corrupting the schools.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
The Atlantic,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The Food Packaging Forum keeps a research database on plastics contaminating food, including paper cups.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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State law prohibits coal from contaminating the state’s waters and imposes a $25,000 civil fine for each penalty.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That’s not switching, not blocking out, fouling a 3-point shooter, getting beat one-on-one with a crossover move.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2026
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In 1969, a well located off Santa Barbara blew out, releasing millions of gallons of oil, which washed up onto beaches, killing wildlife and fouling the waterfront of the popular tourist destination.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Butter crocks are designed with an air-tight seal and a separate space to store water at the bottom that prevents air from reaching the butter, which can lead to spoiling.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
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There is also a fear in Cuba that the developments in Venezuela could cause a deterioration of the quality of life because of power issues, including with spoiling food, trash and mosquitoes.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC news,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Chinese leader then toured the vessel, including inspecting the mess hall and giving a trial press of the ship’s catapult button, according to CCTV.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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At Tesla’s annual meeting on Thursday, shareholders voted in favor of giving CEO Musk a gargantuan, record-shattering pay package that could give him stock worth $1 trillion after several years.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Infecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infecting. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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