FESTERING Synonyms: 110 Similar and Opposite Words

festering 1 of 3

noun

Definition of festering

as in decomposition

the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances the ghastly festering of the corpses abandoned on the battlefield

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

festering

2 of 3

adjective

as in bleeding

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Dissimilar Words

festering

3 of 3

verb

present participle of fester

as in rotting

to go through decomposition a week after the battle the corpses of the fallen were still festering in the fields

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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 festering

Noun

But the country's key stock benchmarks are struggling to reflect that strength, hinting at a festering disconnect between markets and the economy. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026 The festering frustrations over Moreno’s meddling and middling tenure as owner were on full display throughout what is now the team’s 11th consecutive losing season. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026 The mystery of his sister is still something that’s festering, but he’s tied to this idea of himself as a PI. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026 But as the inmate and his fellow prisoners journey into the wilderness, the real threat isn’t the trek, but the betrayal and violence festering within their ranks. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 25 June 2026 There, Marlon must cross the polluted waters of the festering Guanabara Bay in search of a former commander turned messianic cult leader to stop the spread of their paramilitary group. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 16 June 2026 Female screwworms lay hundreds of eggs in the wounds and openings of warm-blooded creatures, allowing their larvae to feast on the living animals, causing deep, festering, life-threatening wounds. — ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026 The soot becomes dust that covers humans and animals, producing festering boils. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 This has been a festering issue not only for the industry but also for consumers. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Adjective

In the Flesh, Sherman rips off the straitjacket after four seasons (and counting) on Saturday Night Live, unleashing a festering and hilarious hour of bodily fluids, open-wound confessionals, and jokes that will leave scars on your soul. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Nov. 2025 Adding to the festering sense of uncertainty about the enterprise is the principal characters’ embrace of the supernatural. — Popular Mechanics, 14 Apr. 2023 For the moment at least, embassies remain open in both capitals despite a festering but unrelated diplomatic spat that has seen the two sides expel dozens of diplomats since 2017. — chicagotribune.com, 3 Mar. 2022

Verb

Israeli left-wingers, for their part, have long held that a festering military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, and failure to reach peace, would inevitably lead to violent conflagration. — Dahlia Scheindlin, Time, 7 Oct. 2026 Gasoline and diesel prices continued to surge on Thursday, with energy experts warning that those costs are likely to climb in the days ahead amid festering geopolitical conflicts overseas. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 The conditions in a jail in Donetsk were so squalid that the women developed festering sores on their arms, legs, and hands. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 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 And what that means is that festering problems are postponed. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 16 June 2026 But, the most intriguing part of the current situation presiding over the SEC is how many schools are actually on the same page about the economic structure that athletic directors and presidents are currently festering over. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2026 Six decades of Cuban history were festering under the country’s blanket of silence, giving us a collective identity crisis. — Abraham Jiménez Enoa, The Dial, 19 May 2026 The high costs of doing business in California, festering labor issues, fierce competition and crime have hit the chain hard in Southern California. — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for festering

Noun

Investigators found no identification at the scene, and extreme decomposition prevented them from obtaining DNA from the bodies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
If the soils were not saturated, microbial decomposition would happen too quickly, breaking down organic matter before the thick layers of peat, the signature of boglands, had a chance to form.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of decomposition

Adjective

Dickerson was the first physician to treat Mike Studeny, who was diagnosed with a non-bleeding stroke.

— Christa Swanson, CBS News, 9 May 2026
In tests using mice, after surgical damage to the liver, AGCL was able to perform significantly better than other current anti-bleeding agents, with normal liver function returning just two weeks after its application.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Jan. 2026

Definition of bleeding

Verb

Rifkin recounted how an ordinary Saturday of shopping ended with Sierra leaving Machado, Julia and Daniela rotting in a closet and being eaten by insects.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
The researchers grew the common research plant Arabidopsis thaliana in containers, some of which were dotted with patches of rotting apple.

— Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of rotting

Noun

But he was plagued by guilt over his ancestor’s role in the trials, and felt compelled to explore themes of human character, greed, and social decay through his work.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
About 1 in 5 adults ages 20 to 64 has at least one untreated cavity, and nearly all adults 65 and older have dealt with tooth decay at some point, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

— Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of decay

Adjective

Prosecutors said some of the money was used for recruiting new members and purchasing Ku Klux Klan robes and materials for cross-burning ceremonies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 July 2026
In the case of the cross-burning incident, there is no comparison to the Jussie Smollett case.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026

Definition of burning

Verb

In this case, the researchers focused its attention on acetic acid – the source of the sour, vinegar-like smell coming from decomposing garbage.

— Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026
The first responding officer opened one of the suitcases and discovered a woman's decomposing body -- naked, bound with rope and in a fetal position.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of decomposing

Noun

When the plant roots encounter an area acidified by decaying plant matter—a chemical gradient distinct from that of animal matter—ABA builds up on the side facing the rot, encouraging growth in the other direction.

— Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2026
And to manage context rot, feeding your agents only the context required for their current step may not be enough.

— Klaudia Zaika, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of rot

Adjective

Ohtani has been dealing with nagging injuries to his left knee and right biceps and didn't pitch after the All-Star break.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
But a nagging calf injury sidelined him throughout training camp, the preseason and the start of the regular season.

— Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of nagging

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

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Synonyms of festering

noun

adjective

verb

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