festers
Grows increasingly irksome
Festers is the verb fester in third-person singular form.
Something festers when it rots, decays, or becomes infected—a wound festers when it fills with pus rather than healing.
The word extends to emotions and situations that worsen through neglect: resentment festers, grievances fester, problems fester when left unaddressed.
The insult festered in her mind for years.
A cut will fester if you don't clean it.
Coiled, or an injury
- pusInfected tissue fluid
- sorePainful or annoyed
- abscessLocalized pus collection
- ulcerErosive tissue wound
sepsis · gangrene · inflammation · rot · decay · necrosis · suppuration · lesion
Becomes progressively worse
- worsensBecomes less favorable
- decaysDeteriorates over time
- stagnatesCeases movement or progress
- rotsUndergoes organic breakdown
languishes · molders · degenerates · corrodes · crumbles · atrophies · disintegrates · spoils
Persistent bitter displeasure
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- angerIntense hostile emotion
- hatredIntense hostile aversion
animosity · brooding · simmering · stewing · unresolved · buried · suppressed · toxicity
wound
Coiled, or an injury
ulcer · sepsis · gangrene · inflammation · rot · decay · necrosis · suppuration · lesion · boil
deteriorates
Becomes progressively worse
rots · languishes · molders · degenerates · corrodes · crumbles · atrophies · disintegrates · spoils · sours
resentment
Persistent bitter displeasure
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- angerIntense hostile emotion
hatred · animosity · brooding · simmering · stewing · unresolved · buried · suppressed · toxicity · rancor