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
Hantavirus is typically spread from rodents to people, but the particular strain that’s infecting those on the cruise, according to the WHO — the Andes strain — is the only kind that can also be transmitted from person to person.
—
Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026
The procedure, called variolation, involved deliberately infecting a soldier with a small amount of smallpox virus to build immunity.
—Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2026
Interest in her field exploded in the late 1990s and again in the mid-aughts when the H5N1 bird flu virus began infecting and killing mass numbers of poultry in China and other parts of Southeast Asia — and infecting and killing some people as well.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 25 Apr. 2026
In some experiments, scientists have reactivated viruses that remained capable of infecting host cells after thawing, though none have been linked to human illness.
—Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Neem oil coats the leaves and prevents disease spores from infecting them.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026
The duo’s follow-up project Los Frikis, a drama based on true events about group of punk rockers in ’90s Cuba who cultivate a utopian refuge from society after deliberately infecting themselves with HIV, was similarly lauded.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Aisuru and Kimwolf work by first infecting vulnerable online devices, enslaving them into a network of hijacked computers.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Measles is incredibly transmissible and can easily travel home with us, infecting others in our schools and communities.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026
The procedure, called variolation, involved deliberately infecting a soldier with a small amount of smallpox virus to build immunity.
—Katrine L. Wallace, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2026
Interest in her field exploded in the late 1990s and again in the mid-aughts when the H5N1 bird flu virus began infecting and killing mass numbers of poultry in China and other parts of Southeast Asia — and infecting and killing some people as well.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 25 Apr. 2026
In some experiments, scientists have reactivated viruses that remained capable of infecting host cells after thawing, though none have been linked to human illness.
—Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Neem oil coats the leaves and prevents disease spores from infecting them.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2026
The duo’s follow-up project Los Frikis, a drama based on true events about group of punk rockers in ’90s Cuba who cultivate a utopian refuge from society after deliberately infecting themselves with HIV, was similarly lauded.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 30 Mar. 2026
Aisuru and Kimwolf work by first infecting vulnerable online devices, enslaving them into a network of hijacked computers.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Measles is incredibly transmissible and can easily travel home with us, infecting others in our schools and communities.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infecting
Verb
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Kouri Richins, a Utah woman convicted of fatally poisoning her husband with fentanyl, is set to be sentenced for murder on Wednesday.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
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One of the charges against Richins is connected to that incident after prosecutors accused her of poisoning his sandwich in an attempt to kill him.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Verb
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An early discussion about social contracts comes down to us in Plato’s dialogue Crito in which Socrates, condemned to death for allegedly corrupting the youth, refused an offer to escape from prison.—
George G. Szpiro,
Big Think,
9 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff Office investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is facing troubles of its own, as a former sheriff has accused current leadership of ‘corrupting’ the crime scene, and a deputy has been arrested and fired on a kidnapping charge.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Over the years, villagers in Roko-Roko held demonstrations, accusing the mining company of clearing community farmland and contaminating a local spring.—
NPR,
NPR,
7 May 2026
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Leaders said the leak resulted in 20,000 gallons of fuel being released, contaminating the soil outside the base at the waters of nearby Piscataway Creek.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The Pistons also were plagued by turnovers (20 that led to 25 Cavaliers points) and fouling (Cleveland attempted 22 more free throws).—
Darnell Mayberry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
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The Sixers made their run by intentionally fouling Mitchell Robinson away from the ball — the classic Hack-a-Shaq technique.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The Grizzlies scored seven times in the fifth inning, highlighted by home runs from Noah Litchfield, Zeke Munoz and Micah Mecucci, pushed across three more in the sixth and added a run in the seventh en route to a 12-8 Palomar League victory, spoiling Senior Day for the Falcons.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
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In the absence of fridges, fermenting, sun-drying, and preserving in salt were the only ways to keep food from spoiling.—
Boutheina Ben Salem,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
Verb
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And the end came well before midnight, with goals by Mitch Marner and Brett Howden in the first 8½ minutes giving Vegas a commanding lead before many in the late-arriving weeknight crowd had made it to their seats at the Honda Center.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
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Las Vegas moved on from the quarterback this offseason in favor of Cousins and Mendoza, less than a year after giving Smith more than $58 million guaranteed.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Infecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infecting. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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