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
Tim Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 1 Aug. 2019
Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025
Fungal disease, butternut canker, wiped out about 90% of the state's butternut trees.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canker
Verb
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
Noun
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
Fungal disease, butternut canker, wiped out about 90% of the state's butternut trees.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canker
Verb
-
Some believe that’s by design, that the show has been poisoned on purpose.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
By Chris Boyette, CNN A California judge dismissed charges against a dermatologist accused of poisoning her husband with liquid drain cleaner, ruling that the Orange County District Attorney’s Office had withheld evidence from the grand jury that indicted her.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
To me, generative AI feels less like innovation than a symptom of a broader cultural and economic rot.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
3 June 2026
-
This can stunt growth, impede the roots' ability to absorb water, cause leaf rot, and attract pests.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
-
Systems must remain safe not only when components fail naturally, but when data is corrupted, communication is interrupted or execution is violated.—
John Wall,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The cynicism and paranoia of the '70s are ever-present, exploring America's moral decay amid troubled times.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
-
Pratt had relentlessly focused on homelessness, crime and decay that's marred a city otherwise known for its culinary scene, postcard scenery and a global entertainment industry.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
The country’s ministry of culture and sports set out a series of rules and regulations which included no pyro, no face paint and no shouting of words that could be degrading towards any person on the field, not even the referee.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
The bones also were coated with a light layer of minerals from the surrounding seawater, which may have prevented them from degrading.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Angels first baseman Trey Mancini, a cancer survivor and former Baltimore slugger, had three hits in his first major league game since 2023 on Monday night in a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros in 10 innings.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
Orland says that the field is still far from calling GLP-1 drugs the next big deal for cancer treatment.—
Lori Youmshajekian,
Scientific American,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Her mother, however, had been deteriorating from Parkinson’s and dementia for four years.—
Wes Kilgore,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Cutting prices now could make the situation even more dire, deteriorating already disastrous profit margins.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund's film feels like a good novel, with art, crime, love, and squalor all intersecting in a cohesive story that manages to astonish.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
-
But their living situation could fairly be described as squalor.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canker. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
