as in decomposed
to go through decomposition
a week after the battle the corpses of the fallen were still festering in the fields
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Recent Examples of festered
There was the diabetic afraid to pick up insulin, the patient with a treatable wound that festered and required a trip to the intensive care unit, and the hospital staffers — from Latin America, Somalia, Myanmar and elsewhere — too scared to come to work.
—
Tim Sullivan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
There was the diabetic afraid to pick up insulin, the patient with a treatable wound that festered and required a trip to the intensive care unit, and the hospital staffers — from Latin America, Somalia, Myanmar and elsewhere — too scared to come to work.
—Tim Sullivan, Twin Cities, 20 Jan. 2026
Complaints about the shelter showed that problems have festered for years, reaching a breaking point after a rise in animal deaths led the agency to lose its no-kill status and city officials to call for an audit.
—Devan Patel, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
Frustration over Iran’s struggling economy has festered.
—Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
This arrangement would prove short-lived as well, as tensions festered between Burhan and Dagalo, who accused the military chief of consolidating undue power and promoting allied factions, including Islamist forces.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
This incident festered throughout the game, as assistant coaches were trying to calm Michael Trigg down regarding the incident that had occurred just as Arizona State was kicking the ball off to Baylor.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
The unexpected performance was doubly surprising as Pluto and YKNiece have spoken publicly about the tension between them that has festered since their breakout hit gained ground this year.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
Unresolved disputes have festered for years over ownership of various islands and features.
—Reuters, NBC news, 16 Sep. 2025
Tim Sullivan, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
There was the diabetic afraid to pick up insulin, the patient with a treatable wound that festered and required a trip to the intensive care unit, and the hospital staffers — from Latin America, Somalia, Myanmar and elsewhere — too scared to come to work.
—Tim Sullivan, Twin Cities, 20 Jan. 2026
Complaints about the shelter showed that problems have festered for years, reaching a breaking point after a rise in animal deaths led the agency to lose its no-kill status and city officials to call for an audit.
—Devan Patel, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
Frustration over Iran’s struggling economy has festered.
—Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026
This arrangement would prove short-lived as well, as tensions festered between Burhan and Dagalo, who accused the military chief of consolidating undue power and promoting allied factions, including Islamist forces.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
This incident festered throughout the game, as assistant coaches were trying to calm Michael Trigg down regarding the incident that had occurred just as Arizona State was kicking the ball off to Baylor.
—Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
The unexpected performance was doubly surprising as Pluto and YKNiece have spoken publicly about the tension between them that has festered since their breakout hit gained ground this year.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
Unresolved disputes have festered for years over ownership of various islands and features.
—Reuters, NBC news, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festered
Verb
-
Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment to find an unidentified body—brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The body was decomposed, a fire official said.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Stars had rebounded from a season-worst, six-match winless skid to construct a three-game points streak, which disintegrated on Tuesday in just their second loss in eight tail ends of back-to-back sets.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
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Eberflus’ best intentions and vision for winning football disintegrated due in part to his team’s lack of discipline and the coaching staff’s inability to steer out of even the smallest skids.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Politically, the regime has rotted from within, discarding, discrediting, or detaining its own kind.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2026
-
That includes money to replace a lot of wood that rotted away due to holes in the roof and walls.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While many have decayed, some have been lovingly restored, such as Palermo’s Neo-Gothic Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata, which has remained in the same family since the 15th century.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
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When excavations first began in the mid-1700s, everything beneath the ash layer was still preserved — but the top floors had decayed and disappeared.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Festered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festered. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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