Infect

Pronunciation: /ˌɪnˈfɛkt/

Infect (verb)

  1. to make someone or something get a disease by passing germs or viruses to them.
  2. to make others feel the same emotion, like happiness or fear, that you are feeling.
  3. to damage computer files or systems with a virus or harmful software.

Examples

  • Viruses can infect many people quickly.
  • Bacteria may infect the wound if not cleaned.

Common collocations: infect a wound, infect others, infect quickly, infect with enthusiasm, infect with laughter

Synonyms of Infect

Formal

Neutral

Informal

Antonyms of Infect

  • removing contaminants or diseases
  • removing or killing pathogens