How to pronounce infest
Say it like in-FEST. Infest has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FEST).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce infest. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- FEST
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Infest pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- FESTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of infest
American and British speakers say infest in essentially the same way: /ˌɪnˈfɛst/ in the US and /ˌɪnˈfɛst/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-FEST.
What does infest mean?
- To inhabit a place in unpleasantly large numbers; to plague, harass.“Insects are infesting my basement!”
- To invade a host plant or animal.
Where does infest come from?
From Middle English infesten, from Old French infester (“to infest”), from Latin īnfestō (“assail, molest”, verb), from īnfestus (“hostile”), of uncertain origin.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with infest
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of infest.
Questions about saying infest
How do you pronounce infest?
Say in-FEST. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪnˈfɛst/. In British English it is /ˌɪnˈfɛst/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in infest?
Infest has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FEST). Broken into parts: in · FEST.
Do Americans and Brits say infest the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪnˈfɛst/ and the British form is /ˌɪnˈfɛst/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.