festering 1 of 3

noun

Definition of festeringnext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
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 The far better response would be for the Nigerian authorities — both state and federal — to tackle the festering conditions that have created the insecurity. — Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 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
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 Anti-Rhaenyra sentiment is festering, even within the Red Keep. — Judy Berman, Time, 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 Cantor Fitzgerald market strategist Eric Johnston remains tactically bullish but is citing some festering concerns around earnings quality and the sustainability of the AI bonanza. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for festering
  1. decomposition
  2. bleeding
  3. rotting
  4. decay
  5. burning
  6. decomposing
  7. rot
  8. nagging
Noun
  • High humidity and sweltering heat accelerated decomposition, compounding the challenges as health experts warned that leaving the remains exposed could increase the risk of disease.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The display was set up by police, with authorities saying some of the bodies recovered from the floods were in an advanced state of decomposition, making physical identification difficult.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 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
  • Its paint was peeling, clapboards were rotting, and a tarp covered a leaking roof, according to the Times.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Those ailing leaves can be a sign of deeper problems such as rotting roots or a bug infestation, though sometimes, a yellowing leaf is just part of a monstera’s natural aging process.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of rotting
Noun
  • In a total power blackout, the plant removes residual decay heat through natural convection rather than emergency electrical pumps or operator intervention.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Waytowich said crime is a symptom of much deeper problems on the north side of Jacksonville, from neighborhood decay to generational trauma and lack of job opportunities.
    — Yona Gavino, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 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
  • After receiving a complaint, police officers and a state regulator found more than 50 decomposing bodies at South Chicago Chapel in the city’s South Deering neighborhood.
    — Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • As excavations for the foundation got underway, bones and decomposing bodies were found, releasing a horrid odor and spreading yellow fever across the island.
    — Victoria Davies, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of decomposing
Noun
  • Greening is a natural reaction—not a sign of rot or spoilage in the traditional sense.
    — Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This is a short, potent book that has much to say about the spiritual rot of our present culture.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of rot
Adjective
  • The mood would be a mix of confidence, desperation and nagging dread.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That happened during the Winter Meetings in December, when the Yankees manager pointed out that the center fielder played through a nagging hamstring injury while recording -11 Defensive Runs Saved and -2 Outs Above Average, career-lows, in 2025.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of nagging

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festering
festers
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Cite this Entry

“Festering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festering. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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