as in to rot
to go through decomposition
a week after the battle the corpses of the fallen were still festering in the fields
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Recent Examples of fester
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The controversy stretches back years, but festered under ex-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who was in office from 2018-2024.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Here, according to the MAGA universe, festered the deep state.
—David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
But since then, the problem has continued to fester.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fester
Verb
For the families of the disappeared, the festering grief from not knowing the fate of a son, brother or father was compounded by threats from authorities displeased with anyone scrutinizing their behavior.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The controversy stretches back years, but festered under ex-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who was in office from 2018-2024.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Here, according to the MAGA universe, festered the deep state.
—David Blumenthal, STAT, 24 Mar. 2026
But since then, the problem has continued to fester.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fester
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fester
Verb
-
When they are exposed to cold temperatures, the process that allows mold and other fruit-rotting microorganisms to grow is slowed down.—
Jessica Farthing,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Turns out you don’t have to suffer rotting flesh to be undead.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That way, you aren’t left trying to break in a new pair of sandals while commuting, exploring a new city, or simply trying to walk from your car to the coffee shop without getting a fresh blister.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
26 Mar. 2026
-
If the starting pitching stays healthy – and Greene’s surgery and Nick Lodolo’s and Brady Singer’s blister problems are early red flags – the Reds will be intriguing.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Drainage problems and decomposing leaves and mulch will quickly attract them.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Clements said the mistaken identification may have happened because the creature decomposed and lost its telltale shell before it was fossilized, complicating identification.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
It’s filled with 120 recipes, many of which require a smoker and/or a grill, though some — such as their salads, curry pastes, fish sauce cheddar bay biscuits, Vietnamese-meets-Cajun seafood boil and calamansi bars — do not.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Simply heat a tea kettle or pot of water to a boil.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The meteor was moving southwest at 30,000 miles per hour and traveled 117 miles through the upper atmosphere before disintegrating 27 miles above the town of Galloway north of Atlantic City, New Jersey, according to NASA.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Or this object, known by the prosaic designation C/2026 A1 (MAPS), could totally disintegrate, vaporized by the fierce heat of our star.—
Tony Hoffman,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Spoiler alert: The monster is definitely real, a lion-bear hybrid covered in disgusting bloody pustules.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Oct. 2025
-
In fact, one of the most common triggers of rosacea, which is characterized by flushing, swelling, spider veins, papules, and pustules, is exposure to sunlight.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
All of this will be powered by a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) that converts the heat of decaying plutonium into electricity; this is commonly used on deep-space missions.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
10 Apr. 2026
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Remove decaying leaves from containers and empty out the saucers after watering.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Never fret over a breakout again with these highly effective pimple patches.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In the rearview mirror, my reflection was dotted with fat, angry pimples, sweating and growing more aggressive in their itch.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fester.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fester. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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