fester
verb (used without object)
to form pus; generate purulent matter; suppurate.
have been festering
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present perfect progressiveof fester.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Behind Altman’s “code red” declaration, however, are tensions between camps inside the company that have been festering for years, according to people familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 2025
This endorsement brought questions to the surface that have been festering for a long time.
From Salon ● Apr. 27, 2022
However, there is only so much the Angels can do to rectify problems that have been festering for the better part of a decade.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2020
We must not only beat this pandemic; we must also address a host of other ills that have been festering for decades.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 18, 2020
Many of the issues, like how to handle the tech sector, have been festering between the United States and China for a long time.
From New York Times ● Feb. 15, 2019
