Synonyms for fester

Most common

rot · mortify · corrupt · decompose · suppurate · maturate

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

Noun

Antonyms

heal, cure, mend

All antonyms of fester →

Definitions

1. v. 1

   To become septic; to become rotten.

2. v. 2

   To worsen, especially due to lack of attention.

   Deal with the problem immediately; do not let it fester.

3. n. 1

   A sore or an ulcer of the skin.

Related words

Word family

festerment

Forms

Plural

festers → abscesses, ulcers, sores, gatherings…

Past participle

festered
e.g. festered → rotted, mortified, corrupted, decomposed…

Example sentences

• rot Put the meat in the refrigerator, or it will rot.
• decompose Rocks take time to decompose, especially quartz and feldspar.
• ferment As the food particles ferment, they produce methane.
• rankle His bitter words still rankle in my mind.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters

rot¹

4 letters

sore¹, boil¹

5 letters

decay², ulcer²

6 letters

rankle²

7 letters

corrupt², ferment², abscess², mortify³, pustule, putrefy

8 letters

ulcerate, maturate

9 letters

gathering³, decompose³, suppurate

10 letters

festerment

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (decay² = 2 syllables).