as in virus
sickness that can be passed from one person, plant, or animal to another
The rumors spread like a contagion.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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 contagion
Further analysis showed that the closer a chimp was to another peeing chimp, the more likely the probability of that chimp peeing as well—evidence of social contagion.
—
Ars Technica, 20 Jan. 2025
Ash, smoke, wind and flames carried the heart-stinging realization, which spread like a contagion, that a new and less manageable landscape was on the horizon.
—Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Similarly, seeing a friend in emotional pain can evoke feelings of despair—a phenomenon termed emotional contagion.
—Joshua Cohen, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024
Genesis, once a business at the heart of DCG, was among the multiple casualties in the industry contagion set off by the collapse of FTX.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for contagion 
Ars Technica, 20 Jan. 2025
Ash, smoke, wind and flames carried the heart-stinging realization, which spread like a contagion, that a new and less manageable landscape was on the horizon.
—Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Similarly, seeing a friend in emotional pain can evoke feelings of despair—a phenomenon termed emotional contagion.
—Joshua Cohen, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Oct. 2024
Genesis, once a business at the heart of DCG, was among the multiple casualties in the industry contagion set off by the collapse of FTX.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for contagion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contagion
Noun
-
Doctors say a polymicrobial infection occurs when two or more micro-organisms are involved, and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.—
Joshua McElwee,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
-
That’s largely because of the avian flu outbreak, and a new study suggests that wind may be partly to blame for spreading the virus between farms.—
Kimberly Richardson,
CNN,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
As the empire tries to inflict its imperialism on the island, it is met by a disease called the Dream Scourge, a plague of the soul that drives people mad.—
Hayes Madsen,
Rolling Stone,
13 Feb. 2025
-
Never mind the stalking, cucking her husband, and bringing plague and endless death upon her.—
Alex Abad-Santos,
Vox,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Measles is a highly contagious airborne illness that can cause rash, fever, red eyes and cough.—
Neha Mukherjee,
CNN,
14 Feb. 2025
-
The film’s ghostly images are at once flattened and alive, hovering in visual purgatory as scenes begin to feel not only like fever dreams, but out-of-body observations of the dreamers themselves.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near contagion
Cite this Entry
“Contagion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contagion. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share