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
While the fly is capable of infecting humans and pets, such cases are rare and pose little risk to the broader public, according to experts.
—
David Hickey, NBC news, 4 June 2026
She is allowed to roam only within a limited tolerance zone to avoid infecting cattle.
—The Conversation, 4 June 2026
The year before that, SARS had emerged, ultimately infecting over 8,000 people in nearly 30 countries.
—Neil Vora, Time, 22 May 2026
Over the past two years, the epidemic has left a devastating trail, infecting more than 220,000 individuals, and claiming the lives of over 4,000 people in 19 countries across the continent.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
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
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
David Hickey, NBC news, 4 June 2026
She is allowed to roam only within a limited tolerance zone to avoid infecting cattle.
—The Conversation, 4 June 2026
The year before that, SARS had emerged, ultimately infecting over 8,000 people in nearly 30 countries.
—Neil Vora, Time, 22 May 2026
Over the past two years, the epidemic has left a devastating trail, infecting more than 220,000 individuals, and claiming the lives of over 4,000 people in 19 countries across the continent.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infecting
Verb
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Symptoms of salmonella poisoning Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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Four people have died in California as a result of the amatoxin poisoning outbreak.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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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
Verb
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Some medical clinics advertise microdosing Zepbound by drawing up less than the full amount in the single-use vial, but this has not been studied, and there is a risk of contaminating the vial by using it more than once.—
Jody Dushay,
STAT,
29 May 2026
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That threatened nearby water supplies, the agency found, by contaminating groundwaters above federal safety standards.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Giménez battled for 11 pitches, fouling off six, in Schlittler’s final inning.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
21 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 sheets will absorb excess moisture, which will prevent your fruits and veggies spoiling quickly.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
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Paige Bueckers scored 24 points and Azzi Fudd added 17 of her season-high 24 in the third quarter to lift the Dallas Wings to a 91-76 win over the New York Liberty on Sunday, spoiling the season debut of Sabrina Ionescu.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Verb
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Special commando units were also deployed to the location and carried out intelligence-gathering missions and drone operations, the other two sources said, giving Israel a valuable perch from which to see into northern Iran during the war.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
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The show is still using some of those songs, giving the score’s relationship to the script a half-in, half-out near-jukebox feeling.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Infecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infecting. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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