toxicology
noun
Did you know?
Even though most of us are aware of toxicology primarily from crime shows on TV, toxicologists actually do most of their work in other fields. Many are employed by drug companies, others by chemical companies. Many work for the government, making sure the public is being kept safe from environmental poisons in the water, soil, and air, as well as unhealthy substances in our food and drugs. These issues often have to do with quantity; questions about how much of some substance should be considered dangerous, whether in the air or in a soft drink, may be left to toxicologists. But occasionally a toxicology task may be more exciting: for instance, discovering that what looked like an ordinary heart attack was actually brought on by a hypodermic injection of a paralyzing muscle relaxant.
Examples of toxicology in a Sentence
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025
Although a toxicology report at the time of her death has yet to be released, advocates like Lawson say Linville's death and many others in the community could have been prevented if resources were better equipped to help people dealing with addiction.
—Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 25 Sep. 2025
The Alabama Department of Corrections and the state attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to inquiries about the inmates’ toxicology results.
—Abigail Brooks, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
There was nothing abnormal in the toxicology report, Li said in his report.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toxicology
Cite this Entry
“Toxicology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxicology. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
toxicology
noun
Share