Contagions: meaning, definitions and examples

This word refers to diseases that are easily spread from one person to another through direct or indirect contact. Often used in discussions about the transmission of diseases.

• Health officials are working to control the spread of contagions in the crowded city.
• The doctor warned about the risk of contagions in public places.

Refers to the invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites that are not normally present within the body. Often used when discussing the cause or result of diseases.

• Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections.
• The hospital is taking measures to prevent infections among patients.

General term for any condition that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms. Suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

• Doctors are trying to find a cure for many chronic diseases.
• The outbreak of mosquito-borne diseases has hit the region hard.

A general term for any condition that causes poor health, often used in a more personal or less formal context.

• She missed school due to multiple illnesses over the winter.
• Families are struggling with the medical expenses of serious illnesses.

This term is used primarily in medical or epidemiological contexts to describe diseases that can spread from one person to another through direct or indirect contact.

• During the flu season, contagions can spread rapidly in crowded places like schools and offices.
• Health officials are working to control the contagions spreading in the community.

This term is used in social or psychological contexts to describe behaviors, attitudes, or forces that can have a detrimental effect on individuals or communities.

• Peer pressure can be a negative influence on teenagers, leading them to make poor choices.
• Negative influences in the workplace can affect productivity and morale.

Often used in social psychology, this term describes actions or habits that can be imitated and proliferated within a group or society.

• Good manners can become spreadable behaviors if consistently practiced and encouraged.
• Toxic gossip is an example of a spreadable behavior that can harm relationships.