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Etymology
Origin of infestation
1375–1425; late Middle English infestacio ( u ) n < Late Latin infestātiōn- (stem of infestātiō ). See infest, -ation
Explanation
An infestation is an invasion of insects on a place like a house or an attack by insects on a plant. If you're scared of bugs, you're not going to like learning about an infestation, which is a huge amount of insects going where they're not supposed to be. If a house is full of cockroaches or other bugs, that's an infestation. One or two bugs doesn't count: an infestation means lots of bugs are invading, and it's a huge problem. Also, when plants are attacked by lots of swarming insects, that's called an infestation or plague.
Vocabulary lists containing infestation
The Lemonade War
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 19–March 25, 2022
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 19–February 25, 2022
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Texas Animal Health Commission also asks that cattlemen closely monitor wounds, reduce biting pests like flies and ticks whenever possible, and abide by infestation quarantines drawn by state authorities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
First of all, the rancher has eyes on their animal, and if they see that the animal has an infestation, they send it to a vet.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
Left untreated, the infestation can be deadly, and the parasites can quickly spread.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
Sumesh Geevarghese, who lives in Cardiff with his family, described having a cockroach infestation at his rented apartment as "very stressful", adding: "They started coming from everywhere."
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
They are chewing me alive like an infestation of thoughts, shame, mistakes.
From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Still others described unexplained rashes, outbreaks of diarrhea and infestations of lice, among a host of other maladies for which many said they were offered only Tylenol or allergy medication.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
B&M Retail Ltd has been fined £2m over mice infestations at three Birmingham stores where inspectors found rodent-gnawed foodstuffs and droppings near children's toys.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Tenants regularly endure leaky pipes, mold, rodent infestations and furnace breakdowns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
Today, screwworm infestations aren’t a regular occurrence in the U.S., but cases have occurred in travelers returning from areas where the flies are present, according to the CDC.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026
Soil samples showed heavy infestations by tiny nematode worms.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
