CANKER Synonyms: 133 Similar and Opposite Words

canker 1 of 2

verb

Definition of canker

as in to poison

to lower in character, dignity, or quality such shameless ambulance chasing cankers the legal profession

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canker

2 of 2

noun

as in rot

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of canker

Noun

Nectria kills areas of woody tissue, sometimes creating cankers on the tree stem and large branches which in turn weaken the tree. — Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2026 This damages the trunk and leaves an ugly, elongated canker that invites insects and stresses the tree, leading to stunted growth, sparse foliage, and stem dieback. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2026 Bacterial plant diseases include speck (a winter-surviving infection that attacks tomatoes), canker (which damages fruit trees including those producing apples and peaches), and blight (which rots melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, beans, and more). — New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2026 Even the most superb body begins to diminish in a person’s early 30s, thanks to the onset of sarcopenia, which sounds like a canker but means the incremental decline of muscle mass. — Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for canker

Recent Examples of Synonyms for canker

Verb

Many of her victims were poisoned and buried around the boarding house, with Puente cashing their social security checks.

— Selome Hailu, Variety, 7 July 2026
Chism’s defense asked that the court not release the affidavit, citing there was no legitimate purpose to release at this time and that doing so could poison any future jury pool.

— Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026

Definition of poison

Noun

Areas with heavy rain, snow, or high humidity are more prone to wood rot, mildew, and moisture absorption, often requiring restaining every one to two years.

— Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026
To me, generative AI feels less like innovation than a symptom of a broader cultural and economic rot.

— Reid Litman, Fortune, 5 July 2026

Definition of rot

Verb

Exploits will trigger guest-side actions alone to corrupt the host kernel’s shadow page, a data structure in the host that assists in the address translation.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026
If religion is corrupted by breaking down the wall of separation, much the same is true of the state.

— Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of corrupt

Noun

The aisles were so choked that blooms and branches brushed against us, the air heady with the scent of lilies, roses, eucalyptus, and sweet decay.

— Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026
The physical properties of TRISO fuel and gas cooling allow the core to dissipate residual decay heat naturally.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026

Definition of decay

Verb

There’s no danger of spontaneous mass illiteracy, but the complex cognitive skills that reading fosters start to degrade.

— Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Weather changes, tires degrade, a safety car appears, a driver reports instability or an opponent pits earlier than expected, and the team has seconds to decide whether to stay with the plan or change it.

— Erum Manzoor, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of degrade

Noun

Professional groups representing cancer researchers, civil engineers, county governments, medical schools, housing agencies, city and municipal governments, nonprofits and others have publicly expressed concerns about potential consequences.

— Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
My medical background has made having breast cancer both easier and much, much harder.

— Tara Thomas, Glamour, 10 July 2026

Definition of cancer

Verb

They can also be used for de-aging characters, creating performances in different languages, or preserving the voice or likeness of an actor whose health is deteriorating, as was the case with CAA client Eric Dane.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026
Though concrete is a durable surface, concrete driveway repair is needed when the surface deteriorates and develops cracks over the years.

— Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026

Definition of deteriorate

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canisters

canker

cankered

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“Canker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canker. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of canker

verb

noun

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