as in poisons
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 infects
His eerie behavior soon infects the quiet rhythms of their rural town, sparking paranoia, violence, and death.
—
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Listeria infects about 1,250 people in the United States each year, according to the CDC, and kills about 172.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
How Klopatra infects devices The malicious VPN and streaming app is called Mobdro Pro IP TV + VPN, and it was recently discovered by researchers at Cleafy.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Nature infects everything, from the woodland murk that surrounds the town to the insects infiltrating Josie’s life, and Amor writes about it all with equal beauty and grotesquerie.
—Neil McRobert, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Commonly known as the brain worm, Parelaphostrongylus tenuis is a parasitic nematode that infects a large range of wild and domestic herbivores, such as moose and elk.
—Jessie Richards, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
One infected person infects 15 more people on average.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 12 Sep. 2025
Screwworm is actually a fly that gets its name from how its larva infects a host.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
It’s caused by a parasite that infects red blood cells through the bite of a tick.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2025
Listeria infects about 1,250 people in the United States each year, according to the CDC, and kills about 172.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025
How Klopatra infects devices The malicious VPN and streaming app is called Mobdro Pro IP TV + VPN, and it was recently discovered by researchers at Cleafy.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Nature infects everything, from the woodland murk that surrounds the town to the insects infiltrating Josie’s life, and Amor writes about it all with equal beauty and grotesquerie.
—Neil McRobert, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Commonly known as the brain worm, Parelaphostrongylus tenuis is a parasitic nematode that infects a large range of wild and domestic herbivores, such as moose and elk.
—Jessie Richards, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025
One infected person infects 15 more people on average.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 12 Sep. 2025
Screwworm is actually a fly that gets its name from how its larva infects a host.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
It’s caused by a parasite that infects red blood cells through the bite of a tick.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infects
Verb
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Rather than simply attacking YoungBoy, Choppa frames himself as a corrective force, casting YoungBoy as someone who corrupts impressionable listeners.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
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Absolute power corrupts absolutely.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Untreated nitrogen often contaminates groundwater and causes algal blooms that damage ecosystems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Aug. 2025
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Leached water from textile waste in landfills contaminates groundwater with harmful chemicals and dyes, which can alter the pH and clarity of surface water.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This gives guests direct access to historic centers and cultural landmarks while allowing more time to explore.—
DeAnna Taylor,
USA Today,
11 Nov. 2025
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Decisions at COPs are made by consensus, meaning countries must agree on everything — a feature which technically gives any nation a veto and can make progress very slow and fraught.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That’s the kind of failing grade that ends drives and spoils red zone trips.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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Frozen Shrimp Shellfish, like shrimp, spoils quickly, which is why many people prefer to purchase frozen shrimp.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Infects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infects. Accessed 27 Nov. 2025.
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