as in to poison
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
such shameless ambulance chasing cankers the legal profession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rot
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
Most of the mature chestnut trees had vanished — the victim of canker fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
Tim Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 1 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for canker
Verb
The canker fungus lives on in the inner bark of fledgling trees and encircles the stem.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
Most of the mature chestnut trees had vanished — the victim of canker fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2024
Noun
Start by removing all blighted twigs and cankered branches 6 to 10 inches below the edge of visible infection.
—Tim Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 1 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for canker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canker
Verb
-
The health secretary said vegetable oils, like canola and soybean, are poisoning Americans and driving the obesity epidemic.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
8 July 2025
-
Throughout a trial lasting more than two months, Patterson maintained the beef-and-pastry dish was accidentally poisoned with death cap mushrooms, the world’s most-lethal fungus.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
For me, no scent will ever capture the promise of freedom and transgression and youthful reinvention quite like the sweet rot of New York City garbage on a summer night in, say, the East Village.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
10 July 2025
-
Gi-hun’s Christ-like sacrifice can only do so much—the rot is worldwide.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
When politicians—rather than professionals—can select which types of research can be funded and how that money can be spent based on their own preferences, the entire pursuit of knowledge is corrupted.—
Brian Sandberg,
Time,
16 July 2025
-
Any profession can corrupt its practitioners — and arts critics are no exception.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
The decay of marketing effects varies by channel, audience, creative, season and competitive context.—
Cody Greco,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
-
Although abrupt, the decision follows years of concern about the decay of U.S. Antarctic scientific infrastructure, exacerbated by hesitations from both agencies about starting big new projects in the face of ongoing federal budget uncertainty.—
Nadia Drake,
Scientific American,
22 July 2025
Verb
-
Metal can tarnish or degrade when exposed to humidity, and many materials degrade when exposed to cardboard that isn't acid-free.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
-
In the last year, Israel has managed to significantly degrade the capabilities of its adversaries, particularly Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and its June conflict with Iran – with the help of the U.S. – was widely seen as having dealt a significant blow to Tehran’s abilities to harm the Jewish state.—
Natasha Turak,
CNBC,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
In 2012: Astronaut and physicist Sally Ride, the first U.S. woman to travel into space, died at age 61 of pancreatic cancer.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
24 July 2025
-
Chronic, long-term, regular, or cumulative exposure to ALAN may even be a risk factor for certain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.—
Laurie Winkless,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
-
The rallies are borne of a deep dissatisfaction with the state of the economy, the deteriorating quality of public services, the administration’s overzealous approach to taxation, and police brutality.—
Ken Opalo,
semafor.com,
21 July 2025
-
The two deteriorating sites are both on the radar of municipal officials.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
His novels explore the moral squalor of all wars, justified or not.—
Rav Grewal-Kök
June 16,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2025
-
The film’s sheer, unrelenting squalor can wear you down, too.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Canker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canker. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share