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
Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 May 2026
But the explosive anger, vicious vendettas, and festering class resentments expressed so powerfully in season one remain.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026
The Season 2 ignition stems from long-festering issues and an uber quarrel that goes from insults to wine glasses thrown against the wall to Lindsay taking a golf club to beloved items in collector Josh's man-cave office.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
This film has likely been festering a good while.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fester
Verb
Cantor Fitzgerald market strategist Eric Johnston remains tactically bullish but is citing some festering concerns around earnings quality and the sustainability of the AI bonanza.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 May 2026
But the explosive anger, vicious vendettas, and festering class resentments expressed so powerfully in season one remain.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026
The Season 2 ignition stems from long-festering issues and an uber quarrel that goes from insults to wine glasses thrown against the wall to Lindsay taking a golf club to beloved items in collector Josh's man-cave office.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
This film has likely been festering a good while.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fester
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fester
Verb
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Backfill with soil, being careful not to place the soil against the stem, as this can cause rot.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
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The insect measures just two-tenths of an inch long and nests in damp leaf litter, rotting logs and mulch, making accidental contact far more likely than with more visible species like the fire ant.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Ohtani dealing with blister Ohtani has been dealing with a small blister on the middle finger of his right hand for his last couple starts, Roberts said.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2026
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This brand is also a podiatrist-favorite for its blister-preventing heel pad and supportive insoles.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Large die-offs can also create environmental and public health concerns, as fish begin to decompose in shallow waters and along shorelines.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
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Typically, the district allows dead fish to decompose in the lake, but because the smell was so substantial, contractors removed many of the dead fish ahead of the weekend, with a focus on public spaces, Belden said.—
Tyler Quattrin,
Twin Cities,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Pennsylvania American Water has issued a boil water advisory for customers in Clairton after a loss of pressure caused by a power outage at a booster station.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
No need to break out the oversized seafood boil pot every time.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
Verb
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None are quite about the conflicting frames of reference and value that arise when an ancient cultural formation disintegrates and a successor has yet to take its place.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
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Right now, the rings furthest from the planet are disintegrating and drifting into space.—
David M. Drucker,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Noun
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In animals, the bacterium causes pustules and lesions, predominantly in cattle, sheep, and horses.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
11 May 2026
-
Rust: Easily identified by orange pustules on the undersides of leaves, often accompanied by faint yellow or orange spots on the upper surfaces.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Hyde has McCallany playing Detective Grimes, a haunted investigator descending into the decaying underbelly of a crumbling metropolis while hunting a brutal serial killer.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
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When success is no longer about who has the best product, but who has the best connections or the most aggressive lobbyists, the organism begins to decay from within.—
Nitin Gupta,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
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After debuting at Coachella as an off-grounds festival experience and content playground replete with a claw machine, balloon darts, mini burgers and colorful popsicles in promotion of the brand’s Spotwear pimple patches, Rhode World will travel throughout North America and Europe this summer.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Vogue,
1 June 2026
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Thabi Hlela of African Alabaster Botanical Skincare uses marula and shea butter in formulations that have cleared pimples and reversed early aging signs in customers who had tried pharmaceutical alternatives.—
Lisa Curtis,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fester.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fester. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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