fester

/ˈfɛstər/

/ˈfɛstə/

Other forms: festering; festered; festers

To fester is to grow and spread, not in a good way. When a cut gets infected it starts to fester and smell bad. Emotional wounds stink too, like when you hold on to anger or pain until it starts to fester and explodes.

Fester is a verb describing what happens to a wound or a sore that gets worse and has liquid, or pus, oozing out. Infections cause cuts, broken bones, and diseases to fester. Dead bodies can fester too — as they decompose. Things that fester have a decaying odor, and bad feelings can have a decaying effect on friendships and the heart. Letting bitter emotions fester often leads to their getting worse.

Definitions of fester

1. verb

   ripen and generate pus
   “her wounds are festering”

   synonyms: maturate, suppurate

   mature, suppurate

   cause to ripen and discharge pus

   type of:

   discharge, eject, exhaust, expel, release

   eliminate (a substance)
2. verb

   become putrid; decay with an offensive smell
   synonyms: putrefy

   type of:

   decay, degrade

   undergo decay or decomposition
3. noun

   a sore that has become inflamed and formed pus
   synonyms: suppurating sore

   type of:

   sore

   an open skin infection
4. verb

   gnaw into; make resentful or angry
   synonyms: eat into, fret, gnaw, grate, rankle

   type of:

   annoy, bother, chafe, devil, get at, get to, gravel, irritate, nark, nettle, rag, rile, vex

   cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations