cytotoxic
adjective
cy·to·tox·ic
ˌsī-tə-ˈtäk-sik 
1
: of or relating to a cytotoxin
2
: toxic to cells
cytotoxic drugs
Examples of cytotoxic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Colon cancer cells required about ten times higher doses to reach the same cytotoxic effects seen in standard petri dish cultures.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Study 1 The researchers looked closely at key cancer-killing immune cells called CD8+ T cells, also known as cytotoxic T cells.
—New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
The honeybee venom paper included some data with the cytotoxic drug paclitaxel.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
The therapy has anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and cytotoxic effects.
—Karen Pallarito, Health, 18 Dec. 2023
And those cytokines were accompanied by corresponding elevations in inflammatory cellular responses, particularly cytotoxic T cells.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 9 May 2023
Then Allison and his colleagues discovered that a molecule called cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) acts as a checkpoint, or built-in brake, on T cells.
—Quanta Magazine, 3 Feb. 2020
Interestingly, the complete soup also lacked cytotoxic activity.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2012
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Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Study 1 The researchers looked closely at key cancer-killing immune cells called CD8+ T cells, also known as cytotoxic T cells.
—New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2025
The honeybee venom paper included some data with the cytotoxic drug paclitaxel.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
The therapy has anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, and cytotoxic effects.
—Karen Pallarito, Health, 18 Dec. 2023
And those cytokines were accompanied by corresponding elevations in inflammatory cellular responses, particularly cytotoxic T cells.
—Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 9 May 2023
Then Allison and his colleagues discovered that a molecule called cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) acts as a checkpoint, or built-in brake, on T cells.
—Quanta Magazine, 3 Feb. 2020
Interestingly, the complete soup also lacked cytotoxic activity.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 7 Mar. 2012
Cite this Entry
“Cytotoxic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cytotoxic. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cytotoxic
adjective
cy·to·tox·ic
ˌsīt-ə-ˈtäk-sik
: toxic to cells
cytotoxic lymphocytes
cytotoxic drugs
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