germ-ridden
Crawling with microbes
Germ-ridden describes something heavily contaminated with germs or microorganisms: The germ-ridden kitchen sponge needed replacing.
The word carries connotations of disgust and uncleanliness, often used with slight exaggeration: Keep your germ-ridden hands off my food.
Thoroughly unclean
- grimyCoated in stubborn dirt
- squalidExtremely dirty and neglected
- grubbySoiled and unkempt
- unwashedNot yet cleaned
unsanitary · unsanitized · dingy · mucky · slovenly · unkempt · neglected · disgusting
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- microbesMicroscopic living organisms
- pathogensDisease-causing microorganisms
- infectedInvaded by pathogens
- taintedContaminated, made impure
polluted · impure · spoiled · fouled · dirty · unclean · soiled · moldy
Transmissible between people
- diseaseDisorder impairing normal function
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- sickUnwell or impressively cool
- illnessState of poor health
fever · outbreak · epidemic · transmission · spreading · catching · communicable · plague
Dangerous living organism risk
- toxicCapable of causing harm
- dangerousApt to cause harm
- unsafeLikely to cause harm
- harmfulCausing damage or injury
risky · health hazard · warning · exposure · vulnerable · immunocompromised · susceptible · precaution
filthy
Thoroughly unclean
unwashed · unsanitary · unsanitized · dingy · mucky · slovenly · unkempt · neglected · disgusting · gross
bacteria
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- microbesMicroscopic living organisms
- pathogensDisease-causing microorganisms
- infectedInvaded by pathogens
tainted · polluted · impure · spoiled · fouled · dirty · unclean · soiled · moldy · festering
contagious
Transmissible between people
- diseaseDisorder impairing normal function
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- sickUnwell or impressively cool
illness · fever · outbreak · epidemic · transmission · spreading · catching · communicable · plague · infection
biohazard
Dangerous living organism risk
harmful · risky · health hazard · warning · exposure · vulnerable · immunocompromised · susceptible · precaution · protective
germ-riddensterile
Free from microorganisms
sterilized · germ-free · antiseptic · disinfected · sanitized
germ-riddensanitary
Free of harmful microbes
healthful · safe · wholesome · salubrious · hospital-grade
germ, rid, germs, germicide, germicidal, germinal, germinate, germination, germinating