fester
verb (used without object)
to form pus; generate purulent matter; suppurate.
festered
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past participleof fester.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof fester.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
festerverb (used without object)to form pus; generate purulent matter; suppurate.
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.
But an uneasy tension festered behind the fanfare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
No amount of martyrdom can save his legacy from succumbing to the rot he festered.
From Salon ● Sep. 21, 2025
But the chaos Yoon unleashed that night has festered.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2025
“We’ve been grinding hard, but it’s just a disappointing factor that others waited too long to do something about it, you know? That’s why it’s festered into this,” Hernandez said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2024
The beaches are clean where once they festered with fish guts and flies.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
