fester 1 of 2

verb

ˈfe-stər How to pronounce fester (audio)
Definition of festernext
as in to rot
to go through decomposition a week after the battle the corpses of the fallen were still festering in the fields

Synonyms & Similar Words

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fester

2 of 2

noun

as in blister
a small, inflamed swelling of the skin pus oozed out of the fester

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fester
Verb
If someone doesn’t feel comfortable doing so, the issue will only fester and complicate future efforts. — Gary Zammit, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 In response to angry, sometimes mocking, questions from Republican senators, Fauci declined to answer more than 100 times, injecting new drama into partisan divides that have festered for years about the origins and handling of the pandemic. — Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 29 July 2026 The conditions that allowed MAHA to flourish—the trust deficit, the corporate entanglements, the gap between research and community, the invisibility of public health in people’s daily lives—have been festering for decades. — Craig Spencer, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026 Beneath all the splendor, the couture, the balls, and the opera lurked an undercurrent of hatred, one that would fester and erupt in ways both insidious and catastrophic. — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fester
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fester
  1. rot
  2. blister
  3. decompose
  4. boil
  5. disintegrate
  6. pustule
  7. decay
  8. pimple
Verb
  • Holly Bullard, chief strategy and development officer of the left-leaning Florida Policy Institute, says Florida’s policies have left traditional schools to rot.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But these two things at a certain time of year, because in the summer, the cottage cheese would rot, and the eggs would spoil.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of rot
Noun
  • Without hesitation, Gardner stepped in to help, despite the fact that the paint and adhesives made his body swell and blister the following day.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Right-hander Roki Sasaki is working back from a blister on his middle finger and is penciled in to return from the IL next week against the Padres.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of blister
Verb
  • The evolution of land plants and the development of soil go hand in hand—as these pioneering plants, trees, and animals died and their decomposing remains were recycled on land, by fungi and the first soil invertebrates, modern soils began to form.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Even poor Maggie the cat — the only living animal in Digger’s house and possibly one of the last living animals in the world — is decomposing in his arms, his sister (Sandra Hüller) says with a shudder.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of decompose
Noun
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The full moon in Taurus on October 26 brings the month’s swirling matters to a full boil, prompting you to realize something important about your worldview or educational lineage that might require you to embody your values differently.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of boil
Verb
  • Studying an intact oarfish is remarkably difficult because their bodies typically disintegrate into brittle segments upon death.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The white outer layer started to disintegrate before the audience’s eyes, eventually washing away to reveal a fire-red corseted bodysuit and miniskirt underneath—a pleasingly literal interpretation of the tour’s title.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Noun
  • The infected children reported a range of skin and soft tissue symptoms, including spots, pustules, blisters, and abscesses.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • This causes small but often painful red pustules that cluster at the places where the hairstyle is pulling the tightest.
    — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of pustule
Verb
  • This is fun, if a little on the nose, and perhaps meant to be read ironically, evidence of how one era’s urgent fears decay into another’s kitsch.
    — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
  • By writing an out-of-the-money call and an out-of-the-money put for late October, traders can harvest the elevated premium as time value rapidly decays.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of decay
Noun
  • Elsewhere in the top 10 were Eos and The Ordinary, while Hero Cosmetics took the number-10 spot for its signature pimple patches.
    — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Like the first date with a big pimple covered in makeup, though, its good qualities are missed thanks to the glaringly obvious coverup.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of pimple

Browse Nearby Words

fest
fester
festered
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Cite this Entry

“Fester.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fester. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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