infested

past tense of infest
as in plagued
to spread or swarm over in a troublesome manner in desperation, we called in an exterminator because the house was infested with ants

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 infested The inspection followed a hunger strike by detainees, who in a letter, complained about rotten or worm-infested food, medical neglect, and being coerced into signing deportation orders. Vanessa Romo, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026 Native to southeast Asia, the beetle has infested every continent bar Antarctica, according to a study published in the Journal of Pest Science in June, stowing away in wood products, live plants and packaging materials. Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 Authorities are investigating after human remains at a Chicago funeral home were allegedly found decaying in an unrefrigerated area infested with rodents. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026 Felix Molina has noticed the difference at a local park that used to be rat-infested. Dave Carlin, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 By the same logic, to write anything at all is to go into the locked room of your potential and realise that the roof is leaking, there’s damp in the walls and the furniture is infested with woodworm. Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 Luca explained that these patches had been infested by pine bark beetles, notorious evergreen-killers that feed on stressed or weakened conifers. Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026 If New World screwworm is identified in an animal in Colorado, state or federal officials will conduct an investigation to understand how the animal became infested. Sarah Tomlinson, The Conversation, 24 July 2026 The canal that flows between Fort Lauderdale resident Harry Rozelle’s house and his church is so infested with bacteria that his teenage son, Cruz, was hospitalized after swimming in it three years ago. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infested
Verb
  • But the car has been plagued with unreliability, most of it affecting George Russell and not Kimi Antonelli (who now, like Button in 2009, has a commanding lead over everyone else in the driver’s championship).
    Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Díaz, the club’s $69-million offseason prize, blew three save opportunities and was plagued by shaky outings after returning from elbow surgery.
    Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • With 15 cases documented so far this year, public health staff said the number of people infected with West Nile virus, half of whom live in the San Fernando Valley, outpaces the five-year average for this time period.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Less than 1% of people infected get very sick with long-term brain or nerve problems.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • To compile as comprehensive a list as possible, Szydlowski crawled Instagram and Reddit for photos of people wearing different types of smart glasses.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026
  • As the whole team fought for their lives, Yerman, one of the only Marines with relatively minor wounds, crawled over to Capers.
    Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The wait times also help ensure that the site doesn’t get overwhelmed by demand.
    Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Abrams was able to return to the song without being overwhelmed by the feelings that came with writing it.
    Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Infested.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infested. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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