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 When left unattended in a basement for a prolonged period, things are bound to acquire mold and mildew or become infested with unwelcome guests. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026 Other animals that have been infested include sheep, goats and a dog. Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 22 June 2026 Waxman died in 2005, at the age of 81, and the collection has not been maintained for at least a decade, neighbors say, now overgrown and infested with invasive vines. Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026 Use hot water to wash any clothing that could have been infested. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 June 2026 Producer Greer Simpkin noted that the swarms of flies visible throughout required no visual effects – the location was so badly infested that cast and crew regularly swallowed them during takes. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 June 2026 Health officials in Berkeley said one person died and another person was hospitalized after contracting leptospirosis from rats that had infested their RV. Tim Fang, CBS News, 11 June 2026 The goat was newly confirmed as the latest case to be infested with New World screwworm, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said in a press conference Monday. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 11 June 2026 The home was rat-infested, had human and animal feces throughout and no central heat. Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infested
Verb
  • Yet within weeks of Trump declaring the rehabilitation completed in time for Independence Day, the water was plagued by a vivid green algae bloom that clouded the pool’s coating.
    Nathan Ellgren, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026
  • By the time of the shooting in November 1999, the 5-foot-11, 194-pound Carruth was again being plagued by injuries.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • The news comes as Lackland Air Force Base in Texas — home to the Air Force's Basic Military Training program — grapples with a flu outbreak that has infected 275 people in recent weeks, a congressional staffer with knowledge of the matter told CBS News.
    Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • Hall was infected in the 2000s and diagnosed in 2006, according to the Bay Area Lyme Foundation.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Street sweepers and garbage trucks crawled through roads fans had packed hours earlier.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026
  • Last December, a rat appeared from the overhead bins and crawled behind a curtain in the cabin while a flight was en route from Amsterdam to Aruba, according to previous reporting from USA TODAY.
    Drew Pittock, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Verb
  • In a world often overwhelmed by heartbreak and division, the story confirms that love has a way of continuing on.
    Staff, FOXNews.com, 20 June 2026
  • Knicks fans nearly overwhelmed it before the floats arrived.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Infested.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infested. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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