festered; festering
ˈfe-st(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to generate pus
The wound became inflamed and festered.
3
a
: to cause increasing poisoning, irritation, or bitterness : rankle
dissent festered unchecked
His resentment festered for years.
b
: to undergo or exist in a state of progressive deterioration
allowed slums to fester
: to make inflamed or corrupt
: a suppurating sore : pustule
Did you know?
Both noun and verb forms of the English word fester come from the Latin noun fistula, meaning “pipe” or, less pleasantly, “fistulous ulcer.” Accordingly, the noun fester refers to a sore that forms or discharges pus, while the oldest sense of the verb fester means “to generate pus.” A boil, for example, is a festering infection of a hair follicle. Over time, the verb—as many words do—picked up a figurative sense, and fester began to be used not only for the worsening of a wound but for a worsening state, situation, etc.
Examples of fester in a Sentence
Verb
His wounds festered for days before he got medical attention.
His feelings of resentment have festered for years.
We should deal with these problems now instead of allowing them to fester.
Noun
pus oozed out of the fester
Recent Examples on the Web
Keith Ferrazzi, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
On one level, this flurry of proposals to ills that have been festering in California and domestically for years is more posturing than problem solving.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 5 May 2025
Professionals sucking on lollipops while faraway crises festered and spread.
—Amanda Chicago Lewis, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
In Lynch’s festering neo-noir mystery from 1987, Hopper plays a chronic villain perpetually sipping from a tank of amyl nitrate and handing out hits as a way to manipulate his henchmen.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fester
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Verb
Organizations that master this shift to caring candor see dramatic improvements in decision quality and execution speed because problems are identified and addressed early rather than festering beneath the surface.
—Keith Ferrazzi, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
On one level, this flurry of proposals to ills that have been festering in California and domestically for years is more posturing than problem solving.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 5 May 2025
Professionals sucking on lollipops while faraway crises festered and spread.
—Amanda Chicago Lewis, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
In Lynch’s festering neo-noir mystery from 1987, Hopper plays a chronic villain perpetually sipping from a tank of amyl nitrate and handing out hits as a way to manipulate his henchmen.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fester
Cite this Entry
“Fester.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fester. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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