infest

verb

in·​fest in-ˈfest 

infested; infesting; infests

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

infestant

in-ˈfe-stənt 

noun

infestation

ˌin-ˌfe-ˈstā-shən 

noun

infester

in-ˈfe-stər 

noun

Synonyms

• overrun

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

Other types of beetles, such as bark beetles, also occasionally infest wet areas of a home. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024

An 8-year-old ended up finding the egg, which Juliano-Villani had intentionally nestled in an area infested with chiggers and ticks. —Jay Bulger, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2024

Singh says bed bugs could infest the clothes inside of your luggage. —Sydney Borchers, Fox News, 12 Nov. 2024

The Escape From Tarkov Halloween event is still ongoing, with zombies still infesting the world and players being tasked to look for a solution. —Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French infester, from Latin infestare, from infestus hostile

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

infest

verb

in·​fest in-ˈfest 

1

: to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner

a neighborhood infested with crime

shark-infested waters

2

: to live in or on as a parasite

horses infested with worms

infestation

ˌin-ˌfes-ˈtā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

infest

transitive verb

in·​fest in-ˈfest 

: to live in or on as a parasite

the flea that infests cats

horses infested with worms

compare infect