The premises were treated for cockroach infestation.
Parts of California are suffering from an infestation of oriental fruit flies.
[Also + of]
2. verb
If you say that people or things you disapprove of or regard as dangerous are infesting a place, you mean that there are large numbers of them in that place.
[disapproval]
Crime and drugs are infesting the inner cities. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: overrun, flood, invade, penetrate More Synonyms of infest
infestedadjective
The road further south was infested with bandits. [+ with]
-infestedcombining form
...the shark-infested waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
infest in British English
(ɪnˈfɛst)
verb(transitive)
1.
to inhabit or overrun in dangerously or unpleasantly large numbers
2.
(of parasites such as lice) to invade and live on or in (a host)
Derived forms
infestation (ˌinfesˈtation)
noun
infester (inˈfester)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Latin infestāre to molest, from infestus hostile
infest in American English
(ɪnˈfɛst)
verb transitive
1.
to overrun or inhabit in large numbers, usually so as to be harmful or bothersome; swarm in or over
2.
to be parasitic in or on (a host)
Derived forms
infestation (ˌinfesˈtation)
noun
infester (inˈfester)
noun
Word origin
Fr infester < L infestare, to attack, trouble < infestus, hostile < in-, in + IE base *dhers-, to be bold, attack > dare
Examples of 'infest' in a sentence
infest
My house has been infested by fleas.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The eradication plan follows a pilot project last year which saw the removal of rats from a tenth of the infested area.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Then I get here only to find that the place is infested with humans.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
infest
British English: infest VERB
When creatures such as insects or rats infest plants or a place, they are present in large numbers and cause damage.
...pests like aphids which infest cereal crops.
American English: infest
Brazilian Portuguese: infestar
Chinese: 侵害虫或老鼠
European Spanish: infestar
French: infester
German: befallen
Italian: infestare
Japanese: 群がる
Korean: >우글거리다곤충이나 동물등이
European Portuguese: infestar
Latin American Spanish: infestar
(verb)
Definition
to inhabit or overrun (a place, plant, etc.) in unpleasantly large numbers
Crime and drugs are infesting the inner cities.
Synonyms
overrun
The flower beds were overrun with weeds.
flood
invade
Every so often the kitchen would be invaded by ants.
penetrate
A cool breeze penetrated the mosquito netting.
ravage
swarm
People swarmed to the shops, buying up everything in sight.
throng
beset
permeate
The water will eventually permeate through the surrounding concrete.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of invade
Definition
to enter in large numbers
Every so often the kitchen would be invaded by ants.
Synonyms
infest,
swarm,
overrun,
flood,
infect,
ravage,
beset,
pervade,
permeate,
overspread
in the sense of penetrate
Definition
to diffuse through
A cool breeze penetrated the mosquito netting.
Synonyms
pervade,
enter,
permeate,
filter through,
suffuse,
seep through,
get in through,
percolate through
in the sense of permeate
Definition
to pass through or cause to pass through by osmosis or diffusion
The water will eventually permeate through the surrounding concrete.