as in poisoned
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
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 infected
Humans who have prolonged close contact with sick or dead birds infected with HPAI are the most at risk of becoming infected.
—
Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
The National Turkey Federation estimated last year that up to 80% of turkey flocks were infected with AMPV, which complicates the situation with the surge in bird flu.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
The Center for Disease Control said if one person with the virus is present, up to nine or 10 people nearby will be infected if they are not protected.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 7 Nov. 2025
For a person infected by HIV at age 35, such costs exceed $326,000.
—Amy Maxmen, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infected
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infected
Verb
-
Residents are also urged to watch children closely while playing outdoors where mushrooms grow and to keep pets away, since animals can be poisoned as well.—
-
In June 2024, Bich poisoned a fourth relative — a teenager — who survived after collapsing and being rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered cyanide in his stomach and alerted the family, the outlets reported.—
Verb
-
Among the recipients of the December funding were the small communities of Ashford and Willington, which are trying to deal with the more than 350-acre contaminated Candlerock property.—
-
Diesel fuel was mixed with regular unleaded gasoline and that contaminated mixture was distributed to gas stations run by Costco, Murphy Express and King Soopers across the Denver metro, according to Colorado’s Division of Oil and Public Safety.—
Verb
-
Using his off hand, Brown spun the ball off the glass and through the hoop while Shead fouled him.—
-
The two bigs had a long conversation in the second quarter after Green fouled the Greek superstar on a drive.—
Verb
-
His mind is warped, his sense of morality corrupted.—
-
Trump has thoroughly corrupted the Justice Department, but its selective prosecutions of his foes have been thwarted by judges and, more strikingly, by grand juries.—
Cite this Entry
“Infected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infected. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
