infests
Invades in numbers
To infest is to be present in large numbers, typically causing damage or disease.
Pests infest—rats, insects, weeds: The apartment was infested with cockroaches.
The word implies unwanted presence and often uncontrollable spread.
Figuratively, problems or undesirable people can infest a place: Scammers infest those online forums.
Harmful small animals
- rodentsGnawing mammal order
- termitesWood-eating social insects
- cockroachesHardy household insect pests
- bedbugsBlood-feeding mattress insects
fleas · lice · mites · ants · mosquitoes · ticks · weevils · aphids
Mass of moving insects
- multiplyIncrease in number
- proliferateReproduce or spread swiftly
- overrunSpread throughout uncontrollably
- colonizeEstablish control over territory
spread · invade · infiltrate · overwhelm · engulf · saturate · flood · encroach
vermin
Harmful small animals
- rodentsGnawing mammal order
- termitesWood-eating social insects
- cockroachesHardy household insect pests
bedbugs · fleas · lice · mites · ants · mosquitoes · ticks · weevils · aphids · beetles
swarm
Mass of moving insects
- multiplyIncrease in number
- proliferateReproduce or spread swiftly
- overrunSpread throughout uncontrollably
colonize · spread · invade · infiltrate · overwhelm · engulf · saturate · flood · encroach · permeate
plague
Deadly epidemic disease
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
- contagionDisease spread by contact
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
infection · pathogen · virus · bacteria · transmission · contamination · blight · rot · fungus · mold
parasites
Organisms feeding off hosts
- tapewormsSegmented intestinal parasites
- hookwormsBlood-feeding intestinal nematodes
- roundwormsUnsegmented parasitic worms
pinworms · flukes · nematodes · larvae · host · carrier · bloodsuckers · leech · botfly · scabies
- pest infestationHarmful organisms colonizing space
- flea infestationParasitic insect outbreak
- insect infestationHarmful bug population explosion
- lice infestationParasitic scalp colonization
- tick infestationExcessive parasitic arachnid presence