Synonyms of infects

infects

verb

present tense third-person singular of infect

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.

Related Words

• poisons
• corrupts
• contaminates
• spoils
• gives
• pollutes
• transmits
• imparts
• communicates
• taints
• fouls
• conveys
• conducts
• spreads
• defiles
• sullies
• rots
• dirties
• blackens
• transfuses
• muddies
• transfers
• smudges
• soils
• dilutes
• propagates
• stains
• befouls
• disseminates
• diffuses
• besmirches
• doctors
• adulterates
• fouls up
• mires
• smirches
• waters down
• begrimes
• grimes
• broadcasts
• delivers
• surrenders
• hands down
• turns over
• hands over
• hands on

Dissimilar Words

• sterilizes
• purifies
• catches
• disinfects
• comes down (with)
• cleans
• sanitizes
• contracts
• clears
• clarifies
• cleanses
• distills
• decontaminates
• purges
• filters

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of infects

For example, Clostridioides difficile is a spore-forming bacterium that infects the gut and causes severe diarrhea and colitis. — Canan Karakoç, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026

Along the way, Bryan gets bit by a zombie but hides the wound, which slowly infects him. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026

There are also rare, severe neuroinvasive cases, when the virus infects the brain. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2026

The type that usually makes people sick isn’t the same type that usually infects dogs and cats. — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026

The parasite infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026

The oldest of these clam cancers infects the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria, of the North American coast. — John Drake, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Experts say that's because cyclospora primarily infects the intestinal tract rather than triggering the type of immune response that creates long-term protection, meaning previous infection should not be viewed as protection against future illness. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 21 July 2026

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. — Savannah Peters, Fortune, 18 July 2026