Definition of transmissiblenext
as in infectious
capable of being passed by physical contact from one person to another the virus chiefly affects dogs but is transmissible to humans and other animals

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 transmissible The vast majority of people infected with TB have a latent form of the bacteria, mycobacterium tuberculosis, which remains dormant and non-transmissible — sometimes a hibernating infection can lie dormant for decades. Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026 So far, 37 birds have died at the lake from the highly transmissible virus, including 29 mute swans. Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026 Measles is highly transmissible — each person with measles will infect 12–18 others. Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 What's more, in subclade K, these immune-evasion tweaks appear to be balanced by other changes that help the virus remain stable and transmissible. New Atlas, 5 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for transmissible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transmissible
Adjective
  • Hernandez said that Stribling has an infectious smile and personality that draws people to him.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2026
  • If some of the stuff in his lungs was infectious, maybe he could be treated and get home.
    Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • His provisional cause of death was given as multi-organ failure due to infective endocarditis, a rare infection of the inner lining or valves of the heart.
    Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
  • On July 30, Ray updated her fans again, revealing her diagnosis of infective endocarditis, a severe heart infection.
    Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 31 July 2024
Adjective
  • Infected by the communicable Ebola virus while treating patients in Liberia, Brantly became the first person in the U.S. to have the disease and one of the first to survive it, along with his colleague and aid worker Nancy Writebol, who arrived three days later.
    Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Additionally, diseases may be communicable (contagious) or noncommunicable; of the latter, the four major types identified by the World Health Organization are cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Transmissible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transmissible. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster