infest

Verb

Verb Forms: infested, infesting, infests

To overrun a place or area in large numbers.
invade in great numbers
- "the roaches infested our kitchen"
occupy in large numbers or live on a host
- "the Kudzu plant infests much of the South and is spreading to the North"
live on or in a host, as of parasites
To inhabit a place in unpleasantly large numbers; to plague, harass.
To invade a host plant or animal.

Adj

Mischievous; hurtful; harassing.

Noun

Hostility.

Examples

Insects are infesting my basement!
My Words With Friends board became infested with short, low-scoring words, needing a high-value clear-out.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English infesten, from Old French infester (“to infest”), from Latin īnfestō (“assail, molest”, verb), from īnfestus (“hostile”).

Synonyms

invade, overrun, beride, plague

Scrabble Score: 9

infest: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
infest: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
infest: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

infest: valid Words With Friends Word