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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Recent Examples of infect
What's more, the mutations were not found in poultry samples collected on the patient's property, suggesting the changes appeared after the patient became infected.
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Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 8 Jan. 2025
Many have also had conjunctivitis or pink eye as their only symptom, which experts suspect is from contaminated milk from cows infected by bird flu being splashed onto workers.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2025
The public is advised to wash hands often and avoid coming into contact with those infected with HMPV, if possible.
—Michael Bartiromo, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025
Indeed, since the virus was first reported in dairy cows in March 2024, one of the sentinel signs that a farm has been infected is the presence of dead barn cats that drank contaminated raw milk.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for infect 
Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 8 Jan. 2025
Many have also had conjunctivitis or pink eye as their only symptom, which experts suspect is from contaminated milk from cows infected by bird flu being splashed onto workers.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2025
The public is advised to wash hands often and avoid coming into contact with those infected with HMPV, if possible.
—Michael Bartiromo, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025
Indeed, since the virus was first reported in dairy cows in March 2024, one of the sentinel signs that a farm has been infected is the presence of dead barn cats that drank contaminated raw milk.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for infect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infect
Verb
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In 2015, the Tribune reported on a broader phenomenon of lead poisoning plaguing children living in some of the poorest Chicago neighborhoods.Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025
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These operations are often controlled by cartels and poison the surrounding natural environment with toxic chemicals.Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Other volatile organic compounds are also known to contaminate tap water after fires.Pien Huang, NPR, 11 Jan. 2025
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In the same vein, any medication exposed to flood waters — even if they’re sealed in screw-top bottles or have snap-on lids — should not be used, because they could be contaminated.Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.Monica Mark, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
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Sogard fouled off a 101 mph fastball and waved at two devastating splitters, striking out on four pitches.Stephen J. Nesbitt, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
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Invasive species such as the overbite clam consumed the zooplankton on which juvenile smelt had fed, toxic chemicals in farm runoff fouled the waters.Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Infect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infect. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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