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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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

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 And nearly omnipresent throughout is the soundtrack by Daniel Blumberg, who brought the rhythms of industrialization and its festering underbelly to 2024’s The Brutalist and won an Oscar for it. — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 22 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

Noun

One key indicator of soil health is decomposition rates of complex organic matter, breaking down stuff like leaves, wood, even cadavers into simpler organic and inorganic compounds, releasing C02 and nutrients in the process.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
This doesn’t mean that a region’s optimal underground environment is always one that facilitates rapid decomposition.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 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

But the last inspection was in October, 10 months before dozens of decomposing bodies were found at the South Chicago Chapel funeral home.

— Megan De Mar, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
And just over a year after that, the Morgans landed back in the news after authorities found 56 decomposing corpses inside another one of their businesses, South Deering’s South Chicago Chapel.

— Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of decomposing

Adjective

On the other side of it, Zeek Biggers, who hasn’t played in either preseason game, has been dealing with a minor nagging ailment in recent weeks but is back now.

— David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
That comment pinpoints for me why the delight of following the eagle cam is undermined by a nagging guilt.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of nagging

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“Festering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/festering. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of festering

noun

adjective

verb

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