# infect

/ˌɪnˈfɛkt/ (US) · /ɪnfˈɛkt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/infect
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to spread disease

verb · CEFR B1

to pass a disease or bacteria to a person, animal, or plant.

For teachers: to contaminate a living organism with a pathogen, causing the onset of illness or disease.

- The flu can easily infect everyone in the office if people don't stay home.
- Public health officials were concerned that the new strain might infect a significant portion of the population before a vaccine could be distributed.

### 2. computing

verb · CEFR B2

to pass a harmful program or virus to a computer or a file.

For teachers: to corrupt a computer system or data file by introducing a virus or malware.

- Be careful not to open suspicious emails, as they could infect your laptop.
- The malware was designed to infect the entire corporate network by exploiting a vulnerability in the outdated server software.

## Examples

- Wash your hands so you do not infect anyone else.
- The flu can easily infect an entire office if people do not stay home when they feel sick.
- While the virus was slow to infect the local population, the panic surrounding its arrival spread with a speed that the authorities found impossible to contain.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.