Botulism, brucellosis, Lyme-disease and tetanus are infectious, but not contagious diseases.
Source: tatoeba (637805)
Tetanus
/ˈtɛt.ən.əs/
Synonyms for "tetanus" (207 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (42)
abdominal epilepsyaccessacquired epilepsyactivated epilepsyacute articular rheumatismaffect epilepsyafrican lethargyagueakinetic epilepsyalkali diseaseamebiasisamebic dysenteryanthraxapoplexyarrestasiatic choleraattackautonomic epilepsybacillary dysenterybastard measles
Show 22 more words
black deathblack feverblackwater feverblockadeblockagebreakbone feverbrucellosisbubonic plaguecachectic fevercardiac epilepsycerebral rheumatismchagres feverchicken poxcholeraclonic spasmclonusconvulsioncortical epilepsycowpoxcrampcursive epilepsydandy fever
Strong matches (62)
deer fly feverdenguedengue feverdiphtheriadiurnal epilepsydumdum feverdysenteryeclampsiaelephantiasisencephalitis lethargicaenteric feverepilepsiaepilepsia graviorepilepsia majorepilepsia minorepilepsia mitiorepilepsia nutansepilepsia tardaepilepsyerysipelas
Show 42 more words
falling sicknessfamine feverfitfive-day feverflufocal epilepsyframbesiafrenzygerman measlesglandular fevergrand malgrippehansenosishaute malhaverhill feverhepatitisherpesherpes simplexherpes zosterhistoplasmosishookwormhydrophobiahysterical epilepsyictusinfantile paralysisinfectious mononucleosisinflammatory rheumatisminfluenzajacksonian epilepsyjail feverjungle rotkala azarkissing diseaselarval epilepsylaryngeal epilepsylaryngospasmlatent epilepsylepraleprosyleptospirosisloa loaloaiasis
Related words (103)
lockjawmadnessmalariamalarial fevermarsh fevermatutinal epilepsymeaslesmeningitismenstrual epilepsymilzbrandmumpsmusicogenic epilepsymyoclonous epilepsynocturnal epilepsyocclusionornithosisosteomyelitisparatyphoid feverparotitisparoxysm
Show 77 more words
parrot feverpertussispetit malphysiologic epilepsypneumoniapoliopoliomyelitispolyarthritis rheumatismponospsittacosispsychic epilepsypsychomotor epilepsyrabbit feverrabiesrat-bite feverreflex epilepsyrelapsing feverrheumatic feverrickettsialpoxringwormrolandic epilepsyrotatoriarubellarubeolascarlatinascarlet feverschistosomiasisseizuresensory epilepsyseptic sore throatserial epilepsyshinglessleeping sicknesssleepy sicknesssmallpoxsnail feverspasmsplenic feverspotted feverstoppagestrep throatstrokeswamp fevertardy epilepsytetanythroesthromboembolismthrombosisthrushtineatonic epilepsytonic spasmtorsion spasmtraumatic epilepsytrench fevertrench mouthtrismustuberculosistularemiatyphoidtyphoid fevertyphustyphus feverucinate epilepsyundulant fevervacciniavaricellavariolavenereal diseaseviral dysenteryvisitationwhooping coughyawsyellow feveryellow jackzonazoster
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abdominal epilepsy, access, acquired epilepsy, activated epilepsy, acute articular rheumatism.
- Sentence evidence is available for tetanus, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, wordnet, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "tetanus".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "tetanus"
Keep "tetanus" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "tetanus" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "tetanus", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "tetanus" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesMore specific
2 entriesneonatal tetanusspasmodic contraction
Collocations
6 entriesneonatal tetanustetanus immune globulintetanus prophylaxistetanus shottetanus toxintetanus vaccine
Inflections
2 entriesDerivations
6 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
The tetanus shot hurt more than the dog bite.
Source: tatoeba (661260)
If you get bit by a rabid dog, you'll need a tetanus shot.
Source: tatoeba (963960)
You should get a tetanus booster shot once every ten years.
Source: tatoeba (2334856)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "tetanus"?
Closest matches include abdominal epilepsy, access, acquired epilepsy, activated epilepsy, acute articular rheumatism.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "tetanus"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.