as in decomposed
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 festered
Complaints about the shelter showed that problems have festered for years, reaching a breaking point after a rise in animal deaths led the agency to lose its no-kill status and city officials to call for an audit.
—
Devan Patel, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
Frustration over Iran’s struggling economy has festered.
—Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
This arrangement would prove short-lived as well, as tensions festered between Burhan and Dagalo, who accused the military chief of consolidating undue power and promoting allied factions, including Islamist forces.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
This incident festered throughout the game, as assistant coaches were trying to calm Michael Trigg down regarding the incident that had occurred just as Arizona State was kicking the ball off to Baylor.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
The unexpected performance was doubly surprising as Pluto and YKNiece have spoken publicly about the tension between them that has festered since their breakout hit gained ground this year.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
Unresolved disputes have festered for years over ownership of various islands and features.
—Reuters, NBC news, 16 Sep. 2025
Then the bad luck and the bad blood festered.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
Left unresolved, the conflict has festered and now metastasized into one of the largest, longest-running, and most complex armed conflicts in the world.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Devan Patel, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
Frustration over Iran’s struggling economy has festered.
—Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
This arrangement would prove short-lived as well, as tensions festered between Burhan and Dagalo, who accused the military chief of consolidating undue power and promoting allied factions, including Islamist forces.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
This incident festered throughout the game, as assistant coaches were trying to calm Michael Trigg down regarding the incident that had occurred just as Arizona State was kicking the ball off to Baylor.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
The unexpected performance was doubly surprising as Pluto and YKNiece have spoken publicly about the tension between them that has festered since their breakout hit gained ground this year.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
Unresolved disputes have festered for years over ownership of various islands and features.
—Reuters, NBC news, 16 Sep. 2025
Then the bad luck and the bad blood festered.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 8 Mar. 2025
Left unresolved, the conflict has festered and now metastasized into one of the largest, longest-running, and most complex armed conflicts in the world.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festered
Verb
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Ackerman’s remains were significantly decomposed and partially mummified, according to the autopsy report.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
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The child's body was decomposed, per the Sheriff's Office.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Eberflus’ best intentions and vision for winning football disintegrated due in part to his team’s lack of discipline and the coaching staff’s inability to steer out of even the smallest skids.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
But relationships at the club have clearly disintegrated to the point where United is now looking for a new permanent manager.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Politically, the regime has rotted from within, discarding, discrediting, or detaining its own kind.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2026
-
That includes money to replace a lot of wood that rotted away due to holes in the roof and walls.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When excavations first began in the mid-1700s, everything beneath the ash layer was still preserved — but the top floors had decayed and disappeared.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Dec. 2025
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The color comes from the water soaking in peat, partially decayed plant matter that can be hundreds of years old.—
Sheeka Sanahori,
Outside,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Festered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festered. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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