lead poisoning

noun

Definition of lead poisoning

: chronic intoxication that is produced by the absorption of lead into the system and is characterized especially by fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, anemia, a dark line along the gums, and muscular paralysis or weakness of limbs

— called also saturnism

Examples of lead poisoning in a Sentence

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Mayor Bill de Blasio agreed to pay at least $1.2 billion for repairs including peeling paint that caused 19 cases of lead poisoning, according to the government settlement. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A Tale of Two Public Health Crises," 31 Aug. 2018 Inhaling these particles can lead to lead poisoning, especially in pregnant women and children. 13. — Lindsey Campbell, House Beautiful, "19 Dangerous Household Items You Should Quit Using Immediately," 15 Feb. 2019 New York City’s health department revealed Thursday that 1,160 public housing kids have tested positive for lead poisoning since 2012. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "A Tale of Two Public Health Crises," 31 Aug. 2018 The cost to test a bird for lead poisoning is $100. — Brian Walker, The Seattle Times, "Bald eagle with lead poisoning recovering at raptor center," 24 Sep. 2018 Record numbers of children have lead poisoning, which leads to irreversible health issues. — Sarah Kunst, Marie Claire, "Gretchen Whitmer Is Ready for the Top Job," 7 Nov. 2018 To name just a couple: As Flint, Michigan, has reminded us, lead poisoning continues to impose massive social costs in the US. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "Billionaires are spending their fortunes reshaping America’s schools. It isn’t working.," 30 Oct. 2018 Lead paint is widely considered to be the primary source of lead poisoning in Milwaukee. — Mary Spicuzza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee failed to protect lead-poisoned children by massive neglect and missteps," 31 May 2018 These blood lead levels were substantially higher than earlier reports of lead poisoning in opium users. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "As if heroin weren’t dangerous enough, it may come with lead poisoning," 9 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lead poisoning.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

6 Apr 2019

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The first known use of lead poisoning was circa 1842

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lead poisoning

noun

Medical Definition of lead poisoning

: a serious acute or chronic condition that is caused by exposure and absorption of lead (such as lead carbonate) and is characterized by variable symptoms including fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, impaired cognitive development or function, joint and muscle pain, loss of appetite, anemia, a dark line along the gums, encephalopathy, seizures, paralysis, and kidney damage

— called also plumbism, saturnism