- to inhabit or overrun in dangerously or unpleasantly large numbers
- (of parasites such as lice) to invade and live on or in (a host)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
in•fest /ɪnˈfɛst/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to overrun (a place) in a troublesome manner; cause hardship to (a place) by great numbers:The mice infested the farmhouse.
in•fest
(in fest′),USA pronunciation v.t.
in•fest′er, n.
- to live in or overrun to an unwanted degree or in a troublesome manner, esp. as predatory animals or vermin do:Sharks infested the coastline.
- to be numerous in, as anything undesirable or troublesome:the cares that infest the day.
- [Archaic.]to harass.
- Latin infestāre to assail, molest, derivative of infestus hostile
- late Middle English 1375–1425
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
infest /ɪnˈfɛst/ vb (transitive)
'infested' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
buggy
- flea-bitten
- grubby
- helminthiasis
- lousy
- measled
- mousy
- nitty
- pedicular
- pediculosis
- snaky
- trichinous
- verminous
- wormy
- acarophobia
- fescue foot
- gid
- gnatty
- infest
- infestation
- maggoty
- pesthole
- rattish
- termitic
- trichinosis
- trombiculiasis
- verminate
- weevily