Showing results for "infested"

• past tense form of infest.
• past participle of infest.

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

See Examples For:

infested

In their report, OIG inspectors said they found immigrants held at the facility had to use showers infested with small bugs and were only allowed to do so three times a week.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

The Mexican fruit fly enters California when travelers bring fruits or vegetables back from regions that are infested, according to the department.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

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

“Our business is infested with idiots,” he famously warned, “who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026

His hair was tangled into greasy locks, infested by nits.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• ravaged

---