parasitize
verb
par·a·sit·ize
ˈper-ə-sə-ˌtiz 
-ˌsī-,
ˈpa-rə-
parasitized; parasitizing
: to infest or live on or with as a parasite
Examples of parasitize in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
They've been linked to cicadas before, with the Illinois Department of Public Health releasing a report in 2008 that said cicadas were the only insect parasitized by the mites the year prior.
—
Li Cohen, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2024
Named for the birds that lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, cuckoo bees also parasitize the nests of other bees.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 July 2024
In the early 1980s, half the vireo nests there were parasitized.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
According to Alexander Cruz, a biologist at the University of Colorado in Boulder, it hasn’t yet been caught parasitizing nests, but that’s just a matter of time.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
See all Example Sentences for parasitize 
Li Cohen, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2024
Named for the birds that lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, cuckoo bees also parasitize the nests of other bees.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 July 2024
In the early 1980s, half the vireo nests there were parasitized.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
According to Alexander Cruz, a biologist at the University of Colorado in Boulder, it hasn’t yet been caught parasitizing nests, but that’s just a matter of time.
—Carl Zimmer, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
See all Example Sentences for parasitize
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'parasitize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Parasitize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parasitize. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
parasitize
verb
par·a·sit·ize
ˈpar-ə-sə-ˌtīz
-ˌsīt-ˌīz
parasitized; parasitizing
: to infest or live on or with as a parasite
an insect that parasitizes many mammals
Medical Definition
parasitize
transitive verb
par·a·sit·ize
parasitized also British parasitised; parasitizing also British parasitising
: to infest or live on or with as a parasite
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