infest

verb

in·fest | \ in-ˈfest

infested; infesting; infests

Definition of infest

transitive verb

1 : to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner a slum infested with crime shark-infested waters

2 : to live in or on as a parasite

Other Words from infest Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about infest

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Other Words from infest

infestant \ in-ˈfe-stənt

\ noun

infestation \ ˌin-ˌfe-ˈstā-shən

\ noun

infester \ in-ˈfe-stər

\ noun

Examples of infest in a Sentence

in desperation, we called in an exterminator because the house was infested with ants

Recent Examples on the Web

Though not necessarily an immediate threat to people, the tick nonetheless has the potential to infest a range of species, including dogs, cats, and livestock, the department said in a statement issued Wednesday. — Frank Kummer, Philly.com, "Pets could be next target of exotic tick that infested N.J. farm," 26 Apr. 2018 Doping by Russian athletes infested biathlon for years. — Tariq Panja, New York Times, "U.S. Biathletes Boycott Russia Event," 24 Feb. 2018 In October, it was found to have completely infested the paddock. — Frank Kummer, Philly.com, "Tenacious invasive tick survived winter in N.J. Experts are worried," 23 Apr. 2018 Pro tip: bed bugs hate slippery surfaces, so the tub is a great place to store your suitcase if you're worried your hotel might be infested! — Amina Lake Abdelrahman, Good Housekeeping, "This Is the Most Effective Bed Bug Treatment, According to Experts," 8 Apr. 2019 Animal control officers found the third dog at another home and found that that dog, too, was flea-infested and smelled bad. — Christine Dempsey, courant.com, "Southington Couple Charged With Neglecting Dogs," 10 Apr. 2018 The current outbreak likely began when people drew water from a bat-infested well, according to the India’s National Centre for Disease Control, which is leading the investigation. — Emily Baumgaertner, New York Times, "Nipah Virus, Dangerous and Little Known, Spreads in India," 4 June 2018 Flights from New Jersey 'infested' with bed bugs, passengers claim. — Fox News, "FOX NEWS FIRST: Mass shooting stuns Toronto, too early to determine if it's terror; Trump warns Iran," 23 July 2018 Behind that sanguine view is the fact that speculative mortgages no longer infest the housing market, one common culprit in financial meltdowns, and banks, another culprit, have plenty of loss-absorbing capital and liquidity. — Greg Ip, WSJ, "How Long Can the Great Jobs Picture Continue? The Fed Thinks Indefinitely," 2 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.