infested

American  

[in-fes-tid] / ɪnˈfɛs tɪd /

adjective

1. overrun to an unwanted degree or in a troublesome manner by predatory animals or vermin (often used in combination).

   It is so difficult to eradicate cockroaches from an infested area.

   The only unguarded way of escape was through an alligator-infested swamp.

2. filled or riddled with anything undesirable or troublesome (usually used in combination).

   The restaurant sat in an increasingly tourist-infested part of town.

---

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of infest.

Other Word Forms

• uninfested
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of infested

First recorded in 1890–1900; infest ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; infest ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Michael Schmoyer -- the associate administrator for the country's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and head of the NWS Directorate -- said the infested beef calf "is not a danger to the food supply."

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

"In areas where these termites are common, it's just a matter of time before homes are infested, so this study is a good initial step toward alternative strategies for controlling them."

From Science Daily • May 9, 2026

It was infested with rats and cockroaches, and smelt "nauseating".

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

We know in 1845, potato fields — the primary source of food for the poor — became infested with a devastating fungus that destroyed 40% of the crop.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2026

He checked his blanket and found it was infested.

From "Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps" by Andrea Warren

Related Words

• ravaged