CONTAGIOUS DISEASE Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

contagious disease

noun

as in infection

sickness that can be passed from one person, plant, or animal to another Parents are advised to vaccinate their children against contagious diseases.

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of contagious disease That’s because measles, among the most contagious diseases in history, is almost always the first vaccine-preventable disease to strike when immunization rates fall. — Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 18 Aug. 2026 Or consider the Miasma theory, which dates all the way back to Ancient Greece and was a popular contagious disease model throughout the Middle Ages. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026 Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to medicine. — Devi Shastri, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026 By this time, smallpox and other contagious diseases brought to the continent by the Europeans had begun to spread among the Aztecs, reducing their capital city’s population by 40 percent in 1520 alone. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for contagious disease

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contagious disease

Noun

Their roles range from precise surgery and infection control to hospital logistics, physical rehabilitation, and therapeutic companionship.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Other possible causes flagged in the reporting include mild infection, IBS, microbiome imbalances, food sensitivities and general inflammation.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of infection

Noun

New findings by a team of researchers from the US and Australia have complicated an ongoing debate over whether a total joint arthroplasty may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

— Mike McRae August 31, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
As the disease progresses, people can develop a stiff neck, seizures and coma.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of disease

Noun

The virus can also cause numerous complications, including ear infections, diarrhea, lasting immune system damage, hospitalization, pneumonia, encephalitis, pregnancy problems and death.

— Finch Walker, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
His campaign is trying to stamp out the stigma that surrounds an HIV diagnosis and educate people about the basics, such as how the virus can't be spread through touching or sharing food.

— Betsy Joles, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of virus

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contagious

contagious disease

contagious diseases

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“Contagious disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contagious%20disease. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of contagious disease

noun

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