fester

verb/ˈfɛstər/

Frequency rank: #16,273 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)

Meaning

to become infected and filled with pus; or (of a problem) to grow worse over time.

Illustration for the English word “fester”

Example sentence

If you leave the wound untreated, it will fester and become much worse.

Synonyms & related words

More words in ranks 16,201–16,300