infested; infesting; infests
1
: to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner
shark-infested waters
2
: to live in or on as a parasite
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
Banks and Fahy are sensational, and both get to smoke even after they’ve been told not to because the smell might infest the chintz drapes in the breakfast room.
—
Libby Gelman-Waxner, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2026
The larvae infest the food but can move some distance away to pupate, spinning a silken cocoon and attaching to the wall, under a shelf, or inside a box of food.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
Last year, the state’s Department of Food and Agriculture cut down 30% of the nursery’s citrus trees on concerns they were infested with Asian citrus psyllid, a sap-sucking bug that transmits a devastating citrus disease.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Caution arose due to props falling on crew members, as well as black mold that infested a shooting location, Deadline reported.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infest
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Libby Gelman-Waxner, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2026
The larvae infest the food but can move some distance away to pupate, spinning a silken cocoon and attaching to the wall, under a shelf, or inside a box of food.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
Last year, the state’s Department of Food and Agriculture cut down 30% of the nursery’s citrus trees on concerns they were infested with Asian citrus psyllid, a sap-sucking bug that transmits a devastating citrus disease.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Caution arose due to props falling on crew members, as well as black mold that infested a shooting location, Deadline reported.
—Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infest
Cite this Entry
“Infest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infest. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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