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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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

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

Voyager 2 and its twin launched in 1977, called Voyager 1, rely on a form of nuclear battery known as a radioisotope thermoelectric generator that uses the heat produced by the decay of plutonium.

— Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Tritium undergoes radioactive decay, emitting particles that can degrade porous materials over time.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of decay

Noun

Of course, case reports alone are not enough to establish a clear link between melanotan and cancer or quantify the risk.

— Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
The technologies that shape modern life, from GPS navigation and weather forecasting to cancer therapies and cellular communications, all rely on scientific discovery.

— H. Christopher Frey, The Conversation, 7 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

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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 14 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of canker

verb

noun

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