infested; infesting; infests
1
: to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner
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
Among those lost were four maples and about 20 ash trees infested with emerald ash borers, said David Dammon, vice president of MVCC’s Administrative Services.
—
Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Back in December, agents also seized four pounds of non-human primate meat, along with 11 pounds of beans infested by pests, and 17 pounds of an unknown plant from a passenger from Congo.
—Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Banks and Fahy are sensational, and both get to smoke even after they’ve been told not to because the smell might infest the chintz drapes in the breakfast room.
—Libby Gelman-Waxner, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2026
The larvae infest the food but can move some distance away to pupate, spinning a silken cocoon and attaching to the wall, under a shelf, or inside a box of food.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infest
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Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
Back in December, agents also seized four pounds of non-human primate meat, along with 11 pounds of beans infested by pests, and 17 pounds of an unknown plant from a passenger from Congo.
—Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
Banks and Fahy are sensational, and both get to smoke even after they’ve been told not to because the smell might infest the chintz drapes in the breakfast room.
—Libby Gelman-Waxner, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2026
The larvae infest the food but can move some distance away to pupate, spinning a silken cocoon and attaching to the wall, under a shelf, or inside a box of food.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for infest
Cite this Entry
“Infest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/infest. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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
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