fester 1 of 2

verb

ˈfe-stər How to pronounce fester (audio)
Definition of festernext
as in to rot
to go through decomposition a week after the battle the corpses of the fallen were still festering in the fields

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fester

2 of 2

noun

as in blister
a small, inflamed swelling of the skin pus oozed out of the fester

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fester
Verb
After a week, many of them developed festering sores on their arms, legs, and hands. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 If someone doesn’t feel comfortable doing so, the issue will only fester and complicate future efforts. — Gary Zammit, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 In response to angry, sometimes mocking, questions from Republican senators, Fauci declined to answer more than 100 times, injecting new drama into partisan divides that have festered for years about the origins and handling of the pandemic. — Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 29 July 2026 The conditions that allowed MAHA to flourish—the trust deficit, the corporate entanglements, the gap between research and community, the invisibility of public health in people’s daily lives—have been festering for decades. — Craig Spencer, The Atlantic, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for fester
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fester
  1. rot
  2. blister
  3. decompose
  4. boil
  5. disintegrate
  6. pustule
  7. decay
  8. pimple
Verb
  • On the upside, my compost bin now smells like pumpkin spice rot.
    — Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Systems fail; unanticipated difficulties occur; things break or rot.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of rot
Noun
  • There are no fist-pumping anthems, blister-raising leads or Homme’s cool-AF braggadocio at play here.
    — Jason Pettigrew, SPIN, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Not every blister or color change indicates infection, so ask the treating clinician to assess unexpected symptoms.
    — Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of blister
Verb
  • The coins were originally buried together in a container made of organic material that has since decomposed, archaeologists believe.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Many of the children's bodies were severely decomposed, with only 26 able to be identified, and investigations into the other deaths are ongoing.
    — Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of decompose
Noun
  • Refueling on this scale has never been done before, and the company needs to get data on the efficiency of such transfers and the rate of boil-off of liquid oxygen and methane in space.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Add a large handful of kosher salt (water should taste briny, like the ocean) and bring to a boil.
    — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of boil
Verb
  • The scouts said the object climbed quickly before appearing to disintegrate.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Particles of disintegrating kelp drifted downward like falling leaves.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Noun
  • The infected children reported a range of skin and soft tissue symptoms, including spots, pustules, blisters, and abscesses.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • This causes small but often painful red pustules that cluster at the places where the hairstyle is pulling the tightest.
    — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of pustule
Verb
  • In large computations, many qubits must wait between operations, during which their quantum states can decay.
    — Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, dead, diseased and decaying trees will be removed during the evening and overnights hours to ensure public safety.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of decay
Noun
  • Rhode, on the other hand, has created pimple patches with Justin Bieber but hasn’t made a collaborative collection with a fashion brand as of yet.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • As a teenager, Gillian Maegan Montalbo had pimples that weren’t too bad — just a few bumps on her forehead and nose.
    — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of pimple

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Cite this Entry

“Fester.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fester. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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