PATHOGENIC Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

pathogenic

adjective

Definition of pathogenic

as in infective

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pathogenic On June 20 the strain of highly pathogenic bird flu that has killed wild birds and marine mammals on every other continent was confirmed in Australia for the first time. — John Drake, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026 The maggots are thought to secrete various antibacterial compounds to ward off pathogenic bacteria and block biofilms from forming, overall preventing secondary infection. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 17 June 2026 Federal law allows the interstate sale of unpasteurized cheese as long as it’s aged for at least 60 days, though this doesn’t fully eliminate the risk — or account for a farm using pathogenic milk to make it. — CNN Money, 14 June 2026 Wastewater monitoring sites can sense levels of disease in a community by detecting pieces of viral or other pathogenic DNA shed through feces, urine or other bodily fluids into municipal wastewater systems. — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pathogenic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pathogenic

Adjective

The team confirmed that those eggs developed into infective third-stage larvae.

— Jay Kakade August 05, Refractor, 5 Aug. 2026
His provisional cause of death was given as multi-organ failure due to infective endocarditis, a rare infection of the inner lining or valves of the heart.

— Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025

Definition of infective

Adjective

In interviews with positive cases, public health workers try to identify others who may have been exposed and come into contact with an infectious person.

— Sarah Volpenhein, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2026
The dancers brought an infectious energy to every corner of the stage through versatile choreography.

— Maya Santiago, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of infectious

Adjective

Patterson had been accused of deliberately seeking out the world’s most toxic mushrooms, death caps, after potentially seeing their location posted on iNaturalist, a citizen science website.

— Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
The complaint cites a couple of other instances of IPI’s use of the word toxic to describe Davis Gates and the CTU.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of toxic

Adjective

Some doctors employed wildly improbable cures when treating these pestilential tumors.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
Here a book worth considering is ‘From third world to first’ - Lee Kwan Yew's first person story of transforming Singapore from a pestilential swamp into a metropolis.

— Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024

Definition of pestilential

Adjective

Child development experts have noted teenagers are more susceptible to social comparison than adults, so products that reward popularity can be more harmful to their mental health.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Beneficial bacteria also provide colonization resistance, competing with harmful microbes for nutrients and attachment sites while producing substances that inhibit their growth.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of harmful

Adjective

For this reason, these poisonous mushrooms are more commonly confused with other types of edible mushrooms like chicken of the woods and chanterelles (more on these in a minute).

— Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026
Perhaps ducks had been used as bio-processors, feeding on toads and metabolizing their poisonous compounds so that humans could safely consume them.

— Kimon de Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of poisonous

Adjective

The isotopes that make up radiopharmaceuticals are just as virulent as the beam radiation patients have begrudgingly tolerated for decades.

— Allison DeAngelis, STAT, 10 Aug. 2026
The feminist progress of the past half century has been met with a virulent backlash of misogyny.

— Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of virulent

Adjective

Tests revealed Jodie had a fibrosarcoma – a malignant tumor – in her jaw, which was removed with surgery but later returned and began to invade her jawbone.

— Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Numerous renowned and highly respected psychiatrists have provided evidence that the president does show signs of dementia, in conjunction with unmistakable traits consistent with malignant narcissism and antisocial personality disorder.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of malignant

Browse Nearby Words

pathogenetic

pathogenic

pathographies

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pathogenic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pathogenic. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pathogenic

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

prowess

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes