MEANING
1. To become or grow worse through infected inflammation, often with pus formation.
2. To grow increasingly bitter, harmful, or troublesome because it is left unresolved.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- festering wound
- resentment festers
- let a grievance fester
On the page
The wound festered beneath the dirty dressing.
Resentment had festered during years of silence.
They left the dispute to fester until it threatened the household.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- fester / festers
- Past tense
- festered
- Past participle
- festered
- Present participle
- festering
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- fester / festers
- Present continuous
- am/is/are festering
- Present perfect
- have/has festered
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been festering
- Past
- festered
- Past continuous
- was/were festering
- Past perfect
- had festered
- Past perfect continuous
- had been festering
- Future
- will fester / festers
- Future continuous
- will be festering
- Future perfect
- will have festered
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been festering
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary curation section: Horror. Literal wounds fester; figurative resentment or unresolved problems fester. More about worsening than mere persistence. fester; festers; festered; festered; festering.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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