View synonyms for infect

infect

[ in-fekt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

to affect or contaminate (a person, organ, wound, etc.) with disease-producing germs.
to affect with disease.
to taint or contaminate with something that affects quality, character, or condition unfavorably:
to infect the air with poison gas.
to corrupt or affect morally:
The news of the gold strike infected him with greed.
to imbue with some pernicious belief, opinion, etc.
Synonyms: corrupt, damage
to affect with a computer virus.
Synonyms: arouse, stir, touch
to affect so as to influence feeling or action:
His courage infected the others.
Law. to taint with illegality, or expose to penalty, forfeiture, etc.

verb (used without object)

to become infected.

adjective

Archaic. infected.

infect

/ ɪnˈfɛkt /

verb

to cause infection in; contaminate (an organism, wound, etc) with pathogenic microorganisms
also intr to affect or become affected with a communicable disease
to taint, pollute, or contaminate
to affect, esp adversely, as if by contagion
computing to affect with a computer virus
international law to taint with crime or illegality; expose to penalty or subject to forfeiture

adjective

archaic.
contaminated or polluted with or as if with a disease; infected

Discover More

Derived Forms

inˈfector, noun

Discover More

Other Words From

in·fectant adjective
in·fected·ness noun
in·fector in·fecter noun
nonin·fected adjective
nonin·fecting adjective
prein·fect verb (used with object)
rein·fect verb (used with object)
unin·fected adjective

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of infect¹

1350–1400; Middle English infecten < Latin infectus (past participle of inficere to immerse in dye, discolor, taint, poison), equivalent to in- in- ² + -fec-, combining form of facere to do ¹, make ( fact ) + -tus past participle suffix

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of infect¹

C14: from Latin inficere to dip into, stain, from facere to make

Discover More

Example Sentences

The question of how the virus probably jumped from bats to infect humans has been a mystery since the start of the outbreak.

From Washington Post

If a nursing-home patient was infected at his home but died in a hospital, it wasn’t counted.

From Washington Post

People may continue to get infected with the virus, but the infections are not as severe.

From Science News

It has infected more than 100 million others, and new variants threaten another surge in cases even as vaccines have begun to roll out.

From Vox

You just don’t know if they’re infected, so, as difficult as that is, at least this time around, just lay low and cool it.

From Washington Post

While the bats are infected, they shed large quantities of virus that can infect other animals.

From The Daily Beast

Ebola Reston, it seemed, could infect humans, but never became symptomatic.

From The Daily Beast

They had to infect the perfectly adequate data with the totally improbable idea of a 400-year-old heirloom elk antler tool.

From The Daily Beast

But what I think is that this constant wound, that this constant sore, does infect all of our foreign policy.

From The Daily Beast

Have you wondered how the U.S. managed to infect Iranian computers?

From The Daily Beast

A very light attack of any of these diseases in one child may infect another fatally.

From Project Gutenberg

One child coming down with scarlet fever, measles, or whooping cough can infect twenty others at an afternoon party.

From Project Gutenberg

Spores of parasitic fungi enter the cracks, germinate and infect the heartwood.

From Project Gutenberg

Because the milk doth grow sour in the stomach, where evil humours are bred, and infect the breath.

From Project Gutenberg

It was necessary to infect them in the mass so that as individuals they might infect others with the fever to buy bonds.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

Discover More

More About Infect

What does infect mean?

Infect is a verb that means to taint someone or something with disease-causing germs or to spread a disease to another living thing, as in The doorknob was infected with disease-causing bacteria.

Infect can also mean to taint something in a way that negatively affects quality, as in The water was infected with toxic chemicals. Computers and other devices that connect to the internet can also become infected. Instead of a virus of living organisms infecting your computer, though, bits of code attack your computer system to do harm.

Infect is also used figuratively to mean to corrupt something in various ways. It can mean something was corrupted morally, as in The constant flattery caused him to be infected with hubris.

Infect can also be used to mean someone has been corrupted by harmful thoughts or beliefs, as in He allowed hatred to infect his mind.

The adjective infectious is used to mean something is capable of infecting things, as in Doctors worked to stop the spread of the infectious disease.

Infect can be confused with infest, which means to overrun a place or live there in an unwanted manner.

Example: Tia stayed home from school so she wouldn’t infect her classmates with the flu.

Where does infect come from?

The first records of the word infect come from around 1350. It ultimately comes from the Latin inficere, meaning “to immerse in dye” or “to taint.” Infect, according to any of its meanings, refers to tainting something or someone.

You will hear the word infect often used during outbreaks of disease or during flu season. Microorganisms that cause disease, such as bacteria and viruses, usually reproduce very quickly and are able to spread from one living thing to another. Often, this spread happens when bodily fluids make contact with surfaces and infect them with germs. A healthy person then touches this surface and the germs enter their body and infect them as well. For this reason, medical experts advise practices such as social distancing, cleanliness, and frequent handwashing to try and prevent being infected with a disease.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to infect?

infectant (adjective)
infectedness (noun)
infector (noun)
noninfected (adjective)

What are some synonyms for infect?

What are some words that share a root or word element with infect?

What are some words that often get used in discussing infect?

What are some words infect may be commonly confused with?

infest

How is infect used in real life?

Infect is a common word that most often refers to the spread of disease or disease-causing germs.

I can't even sleep next to the kids without fearing to infect them with my flu

— VUYOLWETHU (@Mr_Jekubeni) December 28, 2018

Make kindness contagious, infect everyone.

— RYAN (@_RyanKillian) August 18, 2018

We have added style guidance on coronaviruses, a family of viruses, some of which can infect people and animals. As the situation evolves, our guidance may also evolve. (1/4)

— APStylebook (@APStylebook) February 3, 2020

Try using infect!

Is infect used correctly in the following sentence?

I tried to stay in my room when I had the flu so that I wouldn’t infect my family with the flu virus.

Word of the Day

April 18, 2024petrichor

[pet-ri-kawr]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

infeasible infectee

Browse