INFECT Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

infect

verb

Definition of infect

as in to poison

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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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 infect 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 These steps can reduce your chances of getting infected and limit the damage if malware does reach your computer. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 The widening outbreak has infected 1,004 people spread across 39 counties and hospitalized nearly 200 people, authorities reported Monday. — Lena H. Sun, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026 Anyone who got infected with chickenpox as a child is at risk of later developing shingles, a painful, blistering rash that usually appears on one side of the body. — Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for infect

Recent Examples of Synonyms for infect

Verb

Plus, some samples of Martian soil contain high levels of perchlorates, toxic chemical compounds, also found in rocket fuel, that could potentially poison the planet’s supplies of water and food.

— Brian Gallagher, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Could something so commonplace really be slowly poisoning people?

— Sean McCann, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of poison

Verb

Lincoln Park Zoo sits atop a former burial ground, Chicago City Cemetery, which was moved in the 1860s amid concerns that the graves were contaminating the water supply.

— Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
The problem is that potential feedstocks are so easily contaminated, especially in fashion — an industry obsessed with novelty and differentiation, where polyester might be embellished with sequins, or cotton might be blended with elastane.

— Bella Webb, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of contaminate

Verb

But these two things at a certain time of year, because in the summer, the cottage cheese would rot, and the eggs would spoil.

— Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Digger is, first and foremost, a parable—without spoiling the plot, its events are intentionally exaggerated to make a point about humans and climate change.

— Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of spoil

Browse Nearby Words

infeasible

infect

infected

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“Infect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infect. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of infect

verb

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