infest

as in to plague
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 infest Growing up in a house with alcoholism and rage, infested with rats everywhere. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 4 Jan. 2025 Singh says bed bugs could infest the clothes inside your luggage. Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, Fox News, 3 Jan. 2025 The disease is spread by drinking stagnant water infested with tiny fleas called copepods that contain Guinea worm larvae. Charles Schmidt, Scientific American, 29 Dec. 2024 Over the past year, the Daily News has chronicled a string of violent incidents and instances of medical mistreatment at MDC Brooklyn, where inmates often complain about near-constant lockdowns, rotten and infested food and filthy conditions. John Annese, New York Daily News, 12 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for infest 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infest
Verb
  • David in particular can’t seem to understand why Benji is so consistently plagued by suffering.
    Rachel Handler, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2025
  • The planning for the bill has already been plagued by GOP division over demands for substantial spending cuts, disagreements about a one- or two-bill strategy, and other matters.
    Emily Brooks, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • More alarmingly, the virus has begun to infect humans, with the U.S. reporting 67 cases and its first human death on January 6.
    Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Seek medical care right away if your baby’s acne appears infected.
    Carrie Madormo, RN, MPH, Verywell Health, 23 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The four soldiers were taken from Nahal Oz base near Israel's border with Gaza when Palestinian militants overran it.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The four female soldiers on Hamas' list were taken from Nahal Oz base near the border with Gaza when Palestinian militants overran it on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 60 soldiers there.
    SHLOMO MOR AND WAAFA SHURAFA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Emma Corrin — who plays Anna Harding, best friend to Lily-Rose Depp’s Ellen Hutter — had to film a scene covered in rats that crawled on their bare chest.
    Laura Bradley, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The investigators will lay out a grid at the scene, typically with string, and literally crawl around on their hands and knees in search of footprints or other clues.
    Adiel Kaplan, NBC News, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Within days of the first flames, the shelter — which was overwhelmed by donations of food bowls, blankets and large crates from grateful residents — was packed to the rafters with animals.
    Johnny Dodd, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025
  • These fighters are holding the line against Russians in Eastern Ukraine so that the invaders don’t overwhelm the entire country and then threaten NATO.
    Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near infest

Cite this Entry

“Infest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infest. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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