infest

verb in·fest \ in-ˈfest \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Examples: infest in a Sentence

Definition of infest

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

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infestant

play \in-ˈfe-stənt\ noun

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infestation

play \ˌin-ˌfe-ˈstā-shən\ noun

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infester

play \in-ˈfe-stər\ noun

See infest defined for English-language learners

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Examples of infest in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of infest from the Web

Celedon tells me people pay more than 30% of their incomes for housing that is dilapidated, bug-infested and often without air conditioning even as Valley temperatures swelter above 100 degrees.

— moni basu, CNN, "Blue state, red valley: In this part of California, a new generation is more woke than ever," 1 June 2018
An unusual gate made of a finback whale’s jawbone at an old-time sea captain’s house on the Cape Cod National Seashore has been taken down because it was cracked and infested by insects and rodents.

— laney ruckstuhl, BostonGlobe.com, "Whalebone gate removed from front of old-time sea captain’s Cape house," 18 Apr. 2018
The house that the Gossens turned from a termite-infested, falling-down wreck into three exquisite and distinct units each with its own character, will be part of the Faubourg Marigny Improvement Association home tour Sunday.

— kadee krieger, NOLA.com, "Rundown Marigny home renovated into weekend getaway and apartments," 17 May 2018
The Alaska Division of Forestry estimates 450,000 acres are infested statewide, according to Jason Moan, the state's forest health monitoring program manager.

— zaz hollander, Anchorage Daily News, "Mat-Su floats major new timber venture. But is it too good to be true?," 8 Apr. 2018
The Livingston County Health Department offers the following tips to prevent Lyme disease: Avoid areas that are tick infested, moist, brushy, wooded or overgrown with low lying vegetation.

— susan bromley, Detroit Free Press, "These Michigan counties are most at risk for Lyme disease," 3 Apr. 2018
If a viburnum is repeatedly infested, consider removing it and replacing it with a more resistant species of viburnum or another kind of shrub.

— beth botts, chicagotribune.com, "Beetles are out to get your viburnums. Here's how to fight back.," 7 Mar. 2018
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill's office says a Speedway nursing home was so infested that when a resident died in September, police and medics found cockroaches crawling from her body.

— vic ryckaert, Indianapolis Star, "Woman found dead, covered in cockroaches at Speedway nursing home," 12 Feb. 2018
Ohio quarantine regulations restrict the movement of hemlock materials from areas known to be infested with the hemlock woolly adelgid into noninfested Ohio counties.

— sheila vilvens, Cincinnati.com, "The latest invasive insect has 'sucking mouthparts' that kill hemlock trees," 11 May 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.