infested; infesting; infests
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
Examples of infest in a Sentence
in desperation, we called in an exterminator because the house was infested with ants
Recent Examples on the Web
In Leech, a parasitic hive mind that infests people discovers another parasitic hive mind that infests people, competing for the same brain space (told in first-person from the POV of the former parasitic hive mind).
—
Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, that owner lived in a home that was overwhelmed by hoarding and she was infested with fleas as a result.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
The United Nations and several NGOs, as well as civilians in Gaza who have spoken with CNN, say hunger is spreading, there is less access to clean water, and fleas infest makeshift displacement camps.
—Tim Lister and Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
As if dealing with fleas in your yard isn’t enough, these little bloodsuckers can infest your home, too.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infest
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.
Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, that owner lived in a home that was overwhelmed by hoarding and she was infested with fleas as a result.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
The United Nations and several NGOs, as well as civilians in Gaza who have spoken with CNN, say hunger is spreading, there is less access to clean water, and fleas infest makeshift displacement camps.
—Tim Lister and Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
As if dealing with fleas in your yard isn’t enough, these little bloodsuckers can infest your home, too.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for infest
Cite this Entry
“Infest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infest. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
infest
verb
in·fest
in-ˈfest 
1
: to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner
a neighborhood infested with crime
shark-infested waters
2
: to live in or on as a parasite
horses infested with worms
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share