1
as in infectious
capable of being passed by physical contact from one person to another
chicken pox, measles, German measles, and other contagious diseases
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spreading
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
the enthusiasm of the new club members was contagious
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Recent Examples of contagious
The teary eyes were contagious.
—
Essence, 8 Jan. 2026
Her passion for our work and her belief in the power of storytelling were contagious.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
The virus survives on surfaces for days and is highly contagious.
—Jake Scott, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
The rotavirus vaccine, which protects against a highly contagious gastrointestinal infection that causes severe diarrhea in infants and young children, was previously recommended beginning at 2 months of age as either a two- or three-dose series.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contagious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contagious
Adjective
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His infectious enthusiasm for books opened doors to other roles, like being named the new host of Reading Rainbow and the resident librarian at PBS.—
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Dustin — a fan-favorite from the very first episode because of his infectious optimism and unapologetic nerdiness — is no exception.—
Adjective
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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.—
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On July 30, Ray updated her fans again, revealing her diagnosis of infective endocarditis, a severe heart infection.—
Cite this Entry
“Contagious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contagious. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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