as in infection
sickness that can be passed from one person, plant, or animal to another
Parents are advised to vaccinate their children against contagious diseases.
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 contagious disease
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases, spreading easily through air droplets, liable to infect up to 90% of unvaccinated people nearby.
—
Katie Silver, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026
Measles, among the most contagious diseases, is typically the first to infect undervaccinated communities and serves as a warning that other scourges will follow.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
Recognizing this need, the Animal Defense League recently broke ground on a 8,300-square-foot isolation center designed for animals with contagious diseases.
—Cathy M. Rosenthal, San Antonio Express-News, 12 Mar. 2026
Researchers consider measles among the most contagious diseases, and the virus may remain active for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room.
—Andrew Jones, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contagious disease
Katie Silver, NPR, 28 Mar. 2026
Measles, among the most contagious diseases, is typically the first to infect undervaccinated communities and serves as a warning that other scourges will follow.
—Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026
Recognizing this need, the Animal Defense League recently broke ground on a 8,300-square-foot isolation center designed for animals with contagious diseases.
—Cathy M. Rosenthal, San Antonio Express-News, 12 Mar. 2026
Researchers consider measles among the most contagious diseases, and the virus may remain active for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room.
—Andrew Jones, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contagious disease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contagious disease
Noun
-
And even trees raised with all the love and care in the world can fall victim to parasites, infections, inadequate care — or simply years.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Cases of a flesh-eating infection miles from Texas’ border with Mexico are alarming officials about the return of a parasitic fly that was once eradicated.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Measles symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus and often include high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
On the one hand, the virus ensures that nothing will ever be the same again.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The proposal would burden doctors with giving parents a highly detailed consent statement to be prepared by boards of medicine and osteopathic medicine, and forbid health authorities to order vaccinations during outbreaks of familiar or new deadly diseases.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Overall, about half of children with the disease are infected during birth, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia said, while others caught it from family members.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Gauff battled an apparent illness during the Madrid Open, even taking a medical timeout in the Round of 32 over the weekend.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can include fatigue, muscle weakness, frequent illness and low mood.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contagious disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contagious%20disease. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
