infects

verb

present tense third-person singular of infect
as in poisons
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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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 infects Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes, and a rash. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 19 May 2026 But even with federal legislation prohibiting discrimination, the pernicious virus of bias infects too many institutions. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 19 June 2026 Tomato Wilt Due To Root-Knot Nematodes Another pest that infects tomato plants below ground is the root-knot nematode. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 June 2026 While at Johns Hopkins, Roizman and two colleagues discovered the respiratory syncytial virus, which infects lungs and the respiratory tract. — Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026 According to PetMD, Salmonella infects the gastrointestinal tract of pets. — Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026 Orthoebolaviruses are also known to cause hemorrhagic fever, in which the virus infects specific immune cells, triggering a massive inflammatory response that can lead to internal bleeding and organ failure. — Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 22 May 2026 While the Andes hantavirus infects a few dozen people every year in the Patagonian region of Argentina further north, it has never been detected in Ushuaia or the wider archipelago of Tierra del Fuego. — ABC News, 5 June 2026 The Sin Nombre hantavirus is the most common cause of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in North America and infects humans by way of the saliva, urine or droppings of deer mice, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. — Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 16 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infects
  1. poisons
  2. corrupts
  3. contaminates
  4. gives
  5. spoils
Verb
  • Despite her initial disinterest, Kara develops a personal stake when Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts), the one who killed Ruthye's parents and brother, poisons her dog Krypto.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
  • In the film, Cady also poisons the family dog, Benjamin.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 12 June 2026
Definition of poisons
Verb
  • Forgetting his bond with the land, Mariano awakens the Ch’iqmi, a dark force that corrupts his people.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 25 June 2026
  • One nanny will try to get to the bottom of it before all the partying, power and privilege corrupts her.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of corrupts
Verb
  • While water salinity isn't a major issue in most regulated urban water systems, Gupta said the concern mainly applies in coastal and low-lying regions where saltwater intrusion contaminates groundwater, increasing sodium concentrations in drinking water.
    — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 11 May 2026
  • The practice contaminates the legal supply chain, threatens public health, and erases tax liability, industry insiders and officials say.
    — Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
Definition of contaminates
Verb
  • Refine a portfolio piece, build a small prototype, or share a draft with someone who gives honest notes.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026
  • The softened felt gives under his fingers, then holds, each adjustment staying a little longer than the last.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026
Definition of gives
Verb
  • Nothing spoils a good night's sleep quite like a hot, stuffy house.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 26 June 2026
  • Even worse, some streams lag so far behind live that a text from a friend or app notification spoils a game-changing goal.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 12 June 2026
Definition of spoils

Browse Nearby Words

infective
infects
infelicitous
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Cite this Entry

“Infects.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infects. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of infects for Spanish Speakers

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