infected

adjective

in·​fect·​ed in-ˈfek-təd How to pronounce infected (audio)
: having an infection : contaminated with an infective agent (such as a bacterium or virus)
an infected wound
Through a number of different means, these viruses persist at very low, hard-to-detect levels in infected cells.The Journal of the American Medical Association
She explains that leptospirosis bacteria are shed in the urine of infected animals.Tania Banak
The fungus produces as many as 1 million conidia per square centimeter of infected leaf surface.G. B. Lucas

Examples of infected in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) provided recommendations for personal protective equipment and is monitoring the health of those in direct contact with the infected goats. Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2024 According to Price’s office, issues at Mariner facilities also included infected bedsores, falls and disease. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 The Westin Bonaventure’s main kitchen hadn’t been inspected for eight months when an outbreak of Shigella, a bacterium that can spread through infected food, hit late last August. Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2024 In Oregon, authorities confirmed the infected person caught the plague from their house cat. Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 The virus is so contagious that 90% people who are unvaccinated and exposed will become infected. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024 The government could reserve syphilis drugs for infected patients. Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 4 Mar. 2024 Related article Unprecedented bird flu outbreak spreads to mammals in sub-Antarctic, UK says Humans commonly catch parrot fever by breathing in the dust from an infected bird’s secretions, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Jen Christensen, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 White blood cells travel to the infected area and build up within the damaged tissue, leading to inflammation and causing a pocket to form, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'infected.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of infect

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of infected was in 1534

Dictionary Entries Near infected

Cite this Entry

“Infected.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infected. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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