contagious

adjective

kən-ˈtā-jəs How to pronounce contagious (audio)
Definition of contagiousnext
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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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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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 And at twilight, New Orleans bandleader and composer Jon Batiste delivered a contagious tour-de-force of joy and struggle, careening from ragtime classics to contemporary numbers. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2026 Castellucci also finds an upbeat feeling among Charlotte residents that’s contagious. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2026 People are generally most contagious during the first three days of illness. — Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026 Measles is a highly contagious virus that can be fatal in one to three patients per 1,000 cases, data shows. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contagious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contagious
  1. infectious
  2. infective
Adjective
  • The necropsy found that Jackie had multiple conditions, including a type of infectious avian flu.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In the pre-choruses, the chords and background vocals fill the spaces around Swift’s fragmented, stop-start lead vocal, creating an infectious call-and-response flow.
    — David Penn, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of infectious
Adjective
  • Sepsis can lead to a number of different complications, and Woodhouse developed infective endocarditis — an infection of the inner lining of the heart chambers and valves.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The team confirmed that those eggs developed into infective third-stage larvae.
    — Jay Kakade August 05, Refractor, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of infective

Phrases Containing contagious

Browse Nearby Words

contagions
contagious
contagious disease
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Cite this Entry

“Contagious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contagious. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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