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 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 New palms should not be planted in this area as it’s infested with the fungus. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infested
Verb
  • Ireland’s museum sector is reportedly plagued by precarious contracts, low pay, unpaid labor, and toxic workplace cultures, driving burnout, excluding talent, and risking the loss of vital institutional knowledge.
    George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has consistently blamed vandals for the botched renovation of the Reflecting Pool, which has been plagued by a peeling liner and resurfacing algae.
    Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • At the time Newman was infected in North Carolina with Lyme, the disease was believed to be largely limited to the Northeast.
    Erika Edwards, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The latest reports of rabid animals follows an incident in July in which a beaver infected with rabies bit a 13-year-old boy at Cunningham Falls State Park in Maryland's Frederick County.
    Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Primus crawled from the same California soup that gave birth to a host of funk-metal acts in the 1980s, following Fishbone, Faith No More, and, most infamously, the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
    Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Mysterio went for the Three Amigos, but Danhausen blocked the last attempt and crawled to the corner.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Wildfire smoke has overwhelmed large swathes of the Pacific Northwest, reaching hazardous levels in areas closest to active blazes.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • After leading the Hurricanes to the national championship game — a loss to Fernando Mendoza and Indiana — Beck wasn't overwhelmed by the national stage.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Infested.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infested. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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