Definition of noxiousnext
1
as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body mixing bleach and ammonia can cause noxious fumes that can seriously harm you

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word noxious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of noxious are baneful, deleterious, detrimental, and pernicious. While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind.

noxious chemical fumes

When is it sensible to use baneful instead of noxious?

The words baneful and noxious can be used in similar contexts, but baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying.

the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

When would deleterious be a good substitute for noxious?

In some situations, the words deleterious and noxious are roughly equivalent. However, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect.

a diet found to have deleterious effects

When could detrimental be used to replace noxious?

While the synonyms detrimental and noxious are close in meaning, detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified.

the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

When might pernicious be a better fit than noxious?

The meanings of pernicious and noxious largely overlap; however, pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

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 noxious The friendly receptionist in the hotel listened to Vladimir Solovyov, a particularly noxious pro-war media personality and propagandist, all day. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025 One of the most noxious ideas, which is gaining traction among some MAGA devotees, is the concept of Christian nationalism. Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025 In confidential reports submitted to NASA, flight crews describe being overwhelmed by noxious fumes — struggling to stay conscious, land planes safely, or simply breathe — part of a larger body of evidence suggesting that contaminated cabin air is a recurring threat. Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025 In Olympia, Riefenstahl translates these noxious ideas to film, almost verbatim. Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for noxious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for noxious
Adjective
  • The poisonous mushrooms can look and taste similar to edible ones.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
  • That provides them with some protection against eating the poisonous ones.
    Joan Morris, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • While skepticism toward artificial intelligence is understandable, dismissing AI as inherently harmful overlooks both history and reality.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Regulators will examine whether Grok is living up to its obligations under the Digital Services Act, the bloc’s wide-ranging rulebook for keeping internet users safe from harmful content and products.
    Kelvin Chan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching, and my family is deeply grateful so many people have stood up and helped tell his truth.
    Drake Bentley, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • At one point a couple of years ago, Microsoft even used malware-like pop-ups in a disgusting overreach.
    Tom Warren, The Verge, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • But for decades, sections of it have been plagued by the dumping of toxic chemicals and untreated sewage.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
  • Obviously, the issue of toxic behavior on movie sets deserves to be talked about regardless of its impact on the awards race.
    Nate Jones, Vulture, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • More than a billion phones are now ineligible for security updates at a time when the threat landscape has never been more dangerous.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The church opened its warming center over the weekend, anticipating the arrival of the winter storm and the dangerous drop in temperatures.
    Leondra Head, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 29 Jan. 2026
  • There are also two stepsisters, neither ugly but one quite bratty.
    Judy Berman, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air.
    Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
  • Health professionals encourage people to use lean cuts of meat because most of the fat in animal products is unhealthful saturated fat, which can raise the risk of heart disease and cancer.
    Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 22 June 2024
Adjective
  • Affected cosmetics that are applied to the skin or eyes may lead to skin irritation, infection, or other adverse reactions.
    Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Even for women whose initial mammograms didn’t show any calcium buildup and were considered low risk, risk of an adverse cardiac incident increased by 41% if buildup was detected on followups.
    Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Noxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/noxious. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

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