infected
Infected (adjective) means having caught a disease or having a wound contaminated with harmful germs. Example: “The nurse cleaned the infected wound and covered it with a fresh dressing.”
adjective
1
Having caught a disease or having a wound contaminated with harmful germs.
"The nurse cleaned the infected wound and covered it with a fresh dressing."
"The cut on his hand became infected and had to be treated with antibiotics."
"Several patients on the ward tested positive as infected."
How to use infected
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCarrying or affected by a disease-causing germ.
Common pairings
infected wound
become infected
infected with
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Word forms
- Plural
- infecteds
- Comparative
- more infected
- Superlative
- most infected
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The nurse cleaned the _____ wound and covered it with a fresh dressing.
Related words
Rhymes for infected
erected
elected
expected
dejected
directed
affected
detected
selected
effected
projected
deflected
collected
See all rhymes for infected →
Frequently asked questions
What does “infected” mean?
The word “infected” means having caught a disease or having a wound contaminated with harmful germs. In plain terms, carrying or affected by a disease-causing germ.
How do you use “infected” in a sentence?
Here is “infected” used in a sentence: “The cut on his hand became infected and had to be treated with antibiotics.”
What part of speech is “infected”?
“Infected” is an adjective.
Is “infected” a common word?
“Infected” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
What is the difference between "infected" and "contagious"?
"Infected" means a person, wound, or thing already carries harmful germs or disease, while "contagious" means a disease can spread from one person to another. An infected person may or may not be contagious, depending on the illness.
What is the difference between "infected" and "infested"?
"Infected" refers to contamination by germs such as bacteria or viruses, while "infested" refers to being overrun by larger pests like insects, rats, or worms. A wound gets infected, whereas a house gets infested.
What is the difference between "infected" and "inflamed"?
An "infected" wound contains harmful germs, while an "inflamed" area is red, swollen, hot, or painful. Infection often causes inflammation, but tissue can be inflamed by injury or irritation without any infection.
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