Need another word for Infect? Use these synonyms of Infect from our thesaurus to say it differently.
Synonyms & Similar Words
contaminate
pollute
taint
corrupt
spoil
mar
defile
sully
foul
infect
affect
influence
contaminate
poison
adulterate
debilitate
enfeeble
weaken
impair
damage
harm
hurt
wound
blight
plague
infest
overrun
overwhelm
spread
disseminate
transmit
communicate
convey
Meaning of Infect
The primary meaning of the word "infect" is to cause someone or something to contract a disease or a harmful condition.
Definitions
- To cause someone or something to contract a disease or a harmful condition
- To contaminate or pollute something, such as water or air
- To influence someone or something in a harmful or unpleasant way
Etymology of Infect
The word "infect" comes from the Latin "infectus", which is the past participle of "inficere", meaning "to put in or upon" or "to dip in"
Historically, the word "infect" has been used to describe the spread of diseases, as well as the contamination of environments or substances
Over time, the word has also taken on figurative meanings, such as the influence of ideas or emotions on people or things
Example Uses
- The virus can infect anyone who comes into contact with it
- The polluted water infected the entire ecosystem
- Her negative attitude infected the whole team, making it hard to work together