infecting
Passing germs along
Infecting is the present participle of infect—to transmit disease or contamination to a living thing or system.
A virus infects cells; contaminated water infects a population.
The meaning extends to computers, where malware infects devices.
Figuratively, emotions and ideas infect: His enthusiasm was infecting everyone around him.
Fear infects a crowd; doubt infects a team.
Sending of information
- contagionDisease spread by contact
- spreadTo distribute widely
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
pandemic · contamination · pathogen · virus · bacteria · microbe · germs · communicable
Harmful computer programs
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- wormLimbless soil invertebrate
- ransomwareHostage-taking code
- spywareHidden surveillance program
hacking · breach · cyberattack · payload · exploit · backdoor · botnet · phishing
Mental creations or plans
- memesSelf-propagating cultural units
- enthusiasmIntense eager enjoyment
- fearEmotional response to threat
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
hysteria · doubt · cynicism · attitudes · beliefs · mindset · mood · spirit
Causing moral decay
- taintingPolluting or corrupting
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- pollutingIntroducing harmful contaminants
- contaminatingMaking something impure
perverting · debasing · degrading · vitiating · spoiling · defiling · blighting · souring
Extending over space
- pervadingSpreading throughout entirely
- permeatingSpreading throughout completely
- infiltratingEntering covertly to gather information
- penetratingPassing into or through
seeping · creeping · engulfing · overtaking · saturating · diffusing · invading · encroaching
transmission
Sending of information
epidemic · pandemic · contamination · pathogen · virus · bacteria · microbe · germs · communicable · incubation
malware
Harmful computer programs
- virusMicroscopic infectious agent
- wormLimbless soil invertebrate
- ransomwareHostage-taking code
spyware · hacking · breach · cyberattack · payload · exploit · backdoor · botnet · phishing · corrupting
ideas
Mental creations or plans
- memesSelf-propagating cultural units
- enthusiasmIntense eager enjoyment
- fearEmotional response to threat
panic · hysteria · doubt · cynicism · attitudes · beliefs · mindset · mood · spirit · viral content
corrupting
Causing moral decay
- taintingPolluting or corrupting
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- pollutingIntroducing harmful contaminants
contaminating · perverting · debasing · degrading · vitiating · spoiling · defiling · blighting · souring · rotting
spreading
Extending over space
- pervadingSpreading throughout entirely
- permeatingSpreading throughout completely
- infiltratingEntering covertly to gather information
penetrating · seeping · creeping · engulfing · overtaking · saturating · diffusing · invading · encroaching · proliferating
- parasitismbloodsucking, leeching, exploiting, nest parasitism, infestation
- contaminationpolluting, contaminating, fouling, tainting, poisoning
- contagioncontagion, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, spreading
- deterioratingdecaying, decomposing, degrading, rotting, eroding
infectingcuring
Restoring health or preserving
healing · disinfecting · sterilizing · sanitizing · decontaminating
infectingpurifying
Removing unwanted substances
cleansing · purging · filtering · clarifying · sanitizing
infectingpurifying
Removing unwanted substances
uplifting · inspiring · protecting · shielding · insulating
- ear infectionInflamed auditory canal
- sinus infectionInflamed nasal cavity illness
- infectious diseasesPathogen-caused transmissible conditions
- viral infectionDisease caused by microbes
- eye infectionPathogen invading ocular tissue
- kidney infectionBacterial illness of renal organ