infest
verb
in·fest in-ˈfest 
infested; infesting; infests
transitive verb
1
: to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner
a slum infested with crime
shark-infested waters
2
: to live in or on as a parasite
infestant
in-ˈfe-stənt
noun infestation
ˌin-ˌfe-ˈstā-shən
noun infester
in-ˈfe-stər
noun 
Synonyms
- overrun
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
in desperation, we called in an exterminator because the house was infested with ants
Recent Examples on the Web The invasive jumping worms reproduce more quickly, grow twice as fast and can infest soils at very high densities. 
Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 26 July 2022 Inspired by the government shutdown of 2013, the series was a radical shift from the sleek halls of Lockhart Gardner: a sci-fi comedy about killer bugs from outer space that infest the brains of congressmen, turning them into hyper-partisan maniacs. Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker, 13 June 2022 Kurt Russell stars as MacReady, one of a handful of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter an alien parasite with an uncanny ability to infest and imitate its host. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 16 May 2022 Swirls of brown mud cake the lower walls of the home and tree roots infest the foundation of Brian Redfern’s evocative and foreboding set. San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2022 It’s this ability to infest areas without large groups that make these invasive jumping worms so terrifying to the local environment. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 5 Apr. 2022 But then scammers started to infest that market, offering fake codes and scamming players out of their money, leading some unsavvy players to think that Riot had cheated them. Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 24 Mar. 2022 Those of us who infest cinemas may remember asking ourselves that uncomfortable question for the first time. The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2022 What should gardeners do about the aphids and bugs that infest milkweed stems and blooms? Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 17 Sep. 2021 See More
Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 26 July 2022 Inspired by the government shutdown of 2013, the series was a radical shift from the sleek halls of Lockhart Gardner: a sci-fi comedy about killer bugs from outer space that infest the brains of congressmen, turning them into hyper-partisan maniacs. Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker, 13 June 2022 Kurt Russell stars as MacReady, one of a handful of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter an alien parasite with an uncanny ability to infest and imitate its host. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 16 May 2022 Swirls of brown mud cake the lower walls of the home and tree roots infest the foundation of Brian Redfern’s evocative and foreboding set. San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2022 It’s this ability to infest areas without large groups that make these invasive jumping worms so terrifying to the local environment. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 5 Apr. 2022 But then scammers started to infest that market, offering fake codes and scamming players out of their money, leading some unsavvy players to think that Riot had cheated them. Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 24 Mar. 2022 Those of us who infest cinemas may remember asking ourselves that uncomfortable question for the first time. The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2022 What should gardeners do about the aphids and bugs that infest milkweed stems and blooms? Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 17 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
French infester, from Latin infestare, from infestus hostile
First Known Use
1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
infest
verb
in·fest in-ˈfest
infested; infesting
: to spread or swarm in or over in a harmful manner Termites infested the tree.
Medical Definition
infest
transitive verb
in·fest in-ˈfest
: to live in or on as a parasite
the flea that infests cats
horses infested with worms
compare infect infested
verb
as in infected
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
Relevance
- infected
- plagued
- contaminated
- crawled
- overwhelmed
- annoyed
- overran
- beset
- abounded
- teemed
- pestered
- overspread