infect

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Several other strains of the bacteria exist and can infect other host plants, including citrus, stone fruits, almonds, oleander and some shade trees, according to the California Pierce’s Disease Control Program.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

Unlike a virus, the parasite can’t spread directly from animal to animal, and it requires an open wound to infect an animal, Talbot said.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026

Ebola viruses normally infect animals, typically fruit bats, but outbreaks among humans can sometimes start when people eat or handle infected animals.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

They calculated that the virus’s infectiousness—an estimate of how many people one contagious person will infect on average—is 2.1.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

This allowed scientists to determine what was required for HIV to infect a cell—an important step toward understanding the virus, and potentially stopping it.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot