Thesaurus results for INFESTS

infests

verb

present tense third-person singular of infest

as in plagues

to spread or swarm over in a troublesome manner in desperation, we called in an exterminator because the house was infested with ants

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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 infests That essence is slimy, stinky and unrelenting, as reflected in the mass of algae that infests the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 23 June 2026 The Lifeform spawns from a black, bacterial mold that infests the yellow wallpaper and moist carpets. — Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 That’s a feeling of inadequacy that not only infests Ruben’s mind, but Niall’s as well. — Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2026 These parasites and their eggs contaminate soil, which then infests drinking water and food, especially in areas with poor sanitation. — Jenna Anderson, Health, 8 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for infests

Verb

Walker, who leads the NFL with 360 rushing yards, also is adept at avoiding an issue that plagues many ball carriers and receivers in the NFL.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
What plagues America right now, in Cox’s telling, is not bad manners, or even political division, but contempt—the conviction that those who don’t share our opinions or values are beneath us and unworthy of good-faith engagement.

— McKay Coppins, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of plagues

Verb

Rabies infects very few humans in the United States and California, according to the state public health department.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
For example, Clostridioides difficile is a spore-forming bacterium that infects the gut and causes severe diarrhea and colitis.

— Canan Karakoç, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of infects

Verb

In 90 percent of instances, if a team overwhelms another in the trenches on both sides of the ball, that team wins the game handily.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026
Revenue that overwhelms delivery teams, adds friction for customers or depends on heroic effort is not the same as scalable growth.

— Tim Dowd, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of overwhelms

Verb

There’s also a less than 10% chance of showers, if one of the hurricanes crawls farther up the coast, according to Wofford.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Hairy-nosed wombat births are hard to spot, as after about a 30-day pregnancy, the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of crawls

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infesting

infests

infidel

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“Infests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infests. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of infests

verb

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