canker 1 of 2

verb

Definition of cankernext
as in to poison
to lower in character, dignity, or quality such shameless ambulance chasing cankers the legal profession

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

canker

2 of 2

noun

as in rot

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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
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
  1. poison
  2. rot
  3. corrupt
  4. decay
  5. degrade
  6. cancer
  7. deteriorate
  8. squalor
Verb
  • The types of crimes weren’t spelled out, but imagine that a President, say, poisoned his estranged spouse and concealed the crime until after leaving the White House.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Aegon refuses, so instead his own supporters poison him with wine.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of poison
Noun
  • Now the rot is right there on the surface; the people smiling are less likely to be clueless optimists than the people who are happy about the rot, or profiting from it.
    — Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Joe is a knowing witness to and participant in the rot at the heart of Western Civilization.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of rot
Verb
  • Thomas Mann—who later changed his mind on such matters—believed that Germany in the First World War was fighting for its unique national soul against a shallow materialist Western civilization corrupted by rationalism.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That said, real Strange may be corrupted by the Darkhold and Wanda could still be on her villain arc.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Noun
  • By tracking these positrons, researchers could determine their vertical decay angles and search for the tiny signal expected from an EDM.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Many lines of research align with the theory that aging is a direct result of decay — the inevitable degradation of molecules (including proteins or DNA), organelles, cells, or whole organs — from external assault or inexorable breakdown.
    — Ingrid Wickelgren, Quanta Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of decay
Verb
  • Liquid nitrogen storage pauses cellular activity, so the egg should not degrade over time.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Anyone determined to disguise AI output has plenty of ways to degrade or erase a statistical text watermark.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of degrade
Noun
  • Three months after his diagnosis, Hank confirmed that his cancer was in remission.
    — Matt Carlstrom, Vanity Fair, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The movie, which was released Friday , is about a student who lands the lead in a school musical at the same time her mom’s cancer returns.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of cancer
Verb
  • An agreement between Tehran and Washington is yet to materialize, with prospects for a deal appearing to deteriorate over the weekend.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In the provincial capital Pontianak, schools suspended in-person classes after air quality deteriorated to unhealthy levels and health officials reported a rise in respiratory illnesses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of deteriorate
Noun
  • Amid the squalor and chaos of a Provincetown kitchen, Anthony Bourdain found his—and Tony did, too.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The children reportedly lived in squalor and weren’t enrolled in school.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 27 June 2026
Definition of squalor

Browse Nearby Words

canisters
canker
cankered
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Cite this Entry

“Canker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canker. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on canker

Nglish: Translation of canker for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about canker

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