1
: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation
toxic waste
a toxic radioactive gas
an insecticide highly toxic to birds
2
: exhibiting symptoms of infection or toxicosis
the patient became toxic two days later
3
: extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful
toxic sarcasm
4
: relating to or being an asset that has lost so much value that it cannot be sold on the market
: a toxic substance
—usually used in plural
Synonyms
Examples of toxic in a Sentence
Adjective
The fumes from that chemical are highly toxic.
Tests will be run to determine if the landfill is toxic.
Noun
tested for toxics in the water supply
Recent Examples on the Web
Nicole Crawford, Verywell Health, 6 May 2024
State regulators are supposed to minimize the risks that accompany oil and gas production, including by mandating that drillers plug old wells to prevent them from leaking greenhouse gases into the atmosphere or leaching toxic chemicals into the land and water.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 6 May 2024
But three hot inflation reports and signs of persistent wage pressures spooked investors in the first quarter, leading some to fear stagflation—the toxic economic combination of high inflation and low or no growth—could be on the menu.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 3 May 2024
Ashcroft, who is running for governor, had previously crafted incendiary language for the ballot question intended to make the proposal politically toxic.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 3 May 2024
The toxic chemical has been linked to lung cancer, ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer, and mesothelioma, a cancer that develops in the lining of some internal organs.
—Michael Regan, TIME, 2 May 2024
An extremely rich blowhard who is used to running roughshod over anyone who gets in his way, Charlie is about to receive big-time payback for his toxic masculinity.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 2 May 2024
Burning coal also generates millions of tons of ash, which can contain toxic heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and cadmium.
—Patrick Parenteau, The Conversation, 1 May 2024
Our rating: True Experts say urine mixes with chlorine to create toxic chemicals that can harm internal organs.
—Gabrielle Settles, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2016
Lisa Song, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2024
Blake is not an emasculated wimp; his confidence is complete, his suavity bordering on the toxic.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
The mold industry ignores all this and continues to call mold toxic.
—Kelly G. Richardson, Orange County Register, 22 Mar. 2024
Massive piles of mining waste around the rest of the 160-acre landscape enough to fill 250,000 dump trucks are contaminated with arsenic, mercury and other toxics.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
Such pollutants are hazardous to human health even in small doses: mercury causes brain damage in children; acid gases cause serious lung diseases; and metal toxics, such as chromium and nickel, cause cancer.
—Fred Krupp, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2017
Ultimately, a right-to-know law like Prop 65 can only go so far in addressing toxics in products.
—Robin Dodson, Fortune Well, 2 May 2023
The journey is a familiar one for California’s toxics.
—Robert Lewis, AZCentral.com, 1 Mar. 2023
Because the whales feed near shore from the base of the food chain, even sucking up sediments and mud, their scat also could provide information about toxics in the environment, Giles said.
—Lynda Mapes, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Feb. 2020
Adjective
The suit alleges that the presence of these chemicals goes against the brand’s advertising as free of harmful chemicals and toxic metals.
—Nicole Crawford, Verywell Health, 6 May 2024
State regulators are supposed to minimize the risks that accompany oil and gas production, including by mandating that drillers plug old wells to prevent them from leaking greenhouse gases into the atmosphere or leaching toxic chemicals into the land and water.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 6 May 2024
But three hot inflation reports and signs of persistent wage pressures spooked investors in the first quarter, leading some to fear stagflation—the toxic economic combination of high inflation and low or no growth—could be on the menu.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 3 May 2024
Ashcroft, who is running for governor, had previously crafted incendiary language for the ballot question intended to make the proposal politically toxic.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 3 May 2024
The toxic chemical has been linked to lung cancer, ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer, and mesothelioma, a cancer that develops in the lining of some internal organs.
—Michael Regan, TIME, 2 May 2024
An extremely rich blowhard who is used to running roughshod over anyone who gets in his way, Charlie is about to receive big-time payback for his toxic masculinity.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 2 May 2024
Burning coal also generates millions of tons of ash, which can contain toxic heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and cadmium.
—Patrick Parenteau, The Conversation, 1 May 2024
Our rating: True Experts say urine mixes with chlorine to create toxic chemicals that can harm internal organs.
—Gabrielle Settles, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2016
Noun
The Calvert City facilities have been repeatedly fined for leaking air toxics since at least 2010.
—Lisa Song, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2024
Blake is not an emasculated wimp; his confidence is complete, his suavity bordering on the toxic.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Apr. 2024
The mold industry ignores all this and continues to call mold toxic.
—Kelly G. Richardson, Orange County Register, 22 Mar. 2024
Massive piles of mining waste around the rest of the 160-acre landscape enough to fill 250,000 dump trucks are contaminated with arsenic, mercury and other toxics.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
Such pollutants are hazardous to human health even in small doses: mercury causes brain damage in children; acid gases cause serious lung diseases; and metal toxics, such as chromium and nickel, cause cancer.
—Fred Krupp, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2017
Ultimately, a right-to-know law like Prop 65 can only go so far in addressing toxics in products.
—Robin Dodson, Fortune Well, 2 May 2023
The journey is a familiar one for California’s toxics.
—Robert Lewis, AZCentral.com, 1 Mar. 2023
Because the whales feed near shore from the base of the food chain, even sucking up sediments and mud, their scat also could provide information about toxics in the environment, Giles said.
—Lynda Mapes, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Feb. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'toxic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to toxic
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Cite this Entry
“Toxic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxic. Accessed 10 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
toxic
1 of 2 adjective
tox·ic
ˈtäk-sik 
1
: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing serious injury or death
toxic drugs
toxic gas
2
: of, relating to, or caused by a poison or toxin
toxic liver damage
3
a
: affected by a poison or toxin
b
: affected with toxemia of pregnancy
toxic pregnant women
toxic
2 of 2 noun
: a toxic substance
Legal Definition
toxic
adjective
tox·ic
ˈtäk-sik
1
: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation
2
: having substantially lowered worth
specifically
: relating to or being an asset that has lost so much value that it cannot be sold on the market
toxic assets
toxic subprime loans
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