toxicology
noun
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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
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Dec. 2025
According to the Post, a separate toxicology report on Frehley's blood at the time of his death will be issued.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025
Such reports can often take weeks or months to complete while authorities complete toxicology tests.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
With billions spent on tattoos each year, the authors at Università della Svizzera italiana in Bellinzona say the results point to a need for tougher toxicology testing and stricter oversight of tattoo-ink ingredients, which face far looser regulation than medical products.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 28 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Toxicology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxicology. Accessed 11 Dec. 2025.
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toxicology
noun
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