infested
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
filled or riddled with anything undesirable or troublesome (usually used in combination).
The restaurant sat in an increasingly tourist-infested part of town.
verb
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"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
“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
People who live outdoors or in housing infested with rats or other rodents face a high risk of contracting the disease, according to public health officials.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
It was infested with rats and cockroaches, and smelt "nauseating".
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
The rains came or they were withheld, the heat ripened the grain or blasted it with a scorching flame, the ears of com matured in golden beauty or they were infested by worms or blight.
From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt
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.
