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Definition of "infect" []

  • To contaminate with a pathogenic microorganism or agent. (verb-transitive)
  • To communicate a pathogen or disease to. (verb-transitive)
  • To invade and produce infection in. (verb-transitive)
  • To contaminate or corrupt: envy that infected their thoughts; a society that was infected by racism. (verb-transitive)
  • To affect in a contagious way: "His fear infected me, and . . . I followed as fast as I could” ( W.H. Hudson). (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "infect" in a sentence
  • "Widescreen, and features "infect" - ious bonus materials including a new audio commentary with the director and cast members, the featurette "Beneath The Skin: The Making of Cabin Fever" and more."
  • "But you weren't supposed to do that under the old pre-war gold standard, because while it was OK for the countries that did it other countries with too little gold couldn't "un-sterilize" ( "infect"?) money, so there was a net deflationary effect world-wide."
  • "Kinda makes you think people can be friends and not "infect" each other."