INFECTED Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

infected

verb

Definition of infected

past tense of infect

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.

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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 Many people infected may never show symptoms, and others will only experience mild, flu-like symptoms. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Strong dosages of antimicrobial drugs and aggressive management of brain swelling can help treat someone who has become infected. — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 The baby was born infected with the virus, according to testing, and had evidence of a measles infection in lung tissue. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 Things only get worse when he gets infected with alien blood that starts to transform him into one of them. — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The Korean zombie thriller follows Professor Se Jeong, who becomes trapped in a Seoul skyscraper during a bioterror attack and witnesses infected hosts evolving with a collective intelligence. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026 At this time, available information does not establish whether measles caused or contributed to the deaths or whether the individuals died from other causes while infected with measles. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026 For every thousand children infected, between one and three die from respiratory and neurological complications. — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Injection sites can become infected, and veins can become inflamed or blocked by clots. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for infected

Verb

Over the course of Exile, one of Loktev’s subjects is poisoned; another receives a five-year prison sentence in absentia.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
Veterinarians determined that the snake's venom poisoned Samba, prompting them to give her antivenin.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of poisoned

Verb

Dyes and printing inks can contribute to diaper rash and can occasionally be contaminated with heavy metals, said Sydney Swanson, a senior science analyst at EWG.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
The products were made with jalapeños that may be contaminated with salmonella, according to the FDA.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of contaminated

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infect

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infecting

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“Infected.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infected. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of infected

verb

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