Synonyms for
Infectious
Definition
Something that is infectious can spread easily from one person or thing to another, especially a disease.
Synonyms & similar words
Synonyms by register
Formal
Literary
Antonyms
Common collocations
- highly infectious
- infectious disease
- infectious agent
- infectious period
- infectious smile
- infectious laughter
- infectious enthusiasm
Word family
Usage note
While 'infectious' and 'contagious' are often used interchangeably, 'contagious' specifically refers to diseases spread by direct contact, whereas 'infectious' can also refer to diseases spread indirectly or by other means. It can also be used figuratively for emotions or qualities that spread easily.
Example sentences
- The cold is an infectious illness that spreads easily.
- Washing your hands can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- The virus was highly infectious and quickly spread through the population.
- The infectious laughter of the children filled the room.
- The song was so infectious that everyone started dancing.
Quotes
Infectious diseases are not conquered, they are just waiting for us to let our guard down.
A smile is infectious, you catch it like the flu. When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too.
Laughter is infectious, laughter is contagious. One person starts laughing and the next thing you know the entire room is laughing.