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

Listeria infects about 1,250 people in the United States annually, according to the CDC, and kills about 172 of those people. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026

Septicemic plague infects the bloodstream, potentially leading to organ failure. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026

Finally, pneumonic plague occurs when the bacterium infects the lungs—typically through inhalation of infectious droplets rather than flea bites. — Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

Ruslanas Baranuskas/Science Pho/Getty Images Pneumonic plague typically occurs when the other forms of plague are not treated and the Yersinia pestis bacteria infects the lungs. — News Editor, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026

Rabies infects very few humans in the United States and California, according to the state public health department. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

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