poison 1 of 3

Definition of poisonnext

poison

2 of 3

noun

as in toxic
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing the only way to get rid of rats is to leave out poison

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

poison

3 of 3

verb

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2
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4
as in to turn
to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge malicious rumors had poisoned many church members against the new pastor

Synonyms & Similar 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 poison
Adjective
Michelle spins a long and complicated tale, but insists Teddy was wrong about the Andromedans trying to infiltrate and poison humanity. Megan McCluskey, Time, 31 Oct. 2025 Constant procedural upheaval and backlogs are poison. Scott White, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Always follow local rules and regulations when trapping and relocating gophers and never use poison baits, which can harm non-target animals like owls and pets. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026 Studies prove that 80% of wild animals tested result positive for the most common anticoagulant rodenticide poison being overused today, SGARs. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
Nicholas and three of his playmates at the day care were poisoned by the lethal opioid, which the owners stored in a nap room, officials said. Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026 One woman constantly threatened to poison her. Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
  • Taking supporting women’s wrongs—and rights—to new levels, everyone’s favorite toxic on-screen Girl Boss duo are back for a fourth season of Industry: Harper Stern and Yasmin Kara-Hanani.
    Chloe Laws, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Jan. 2026
  • The Michigan Legislature passed a law in 2008 meant to protect the public from harmful electronic waste toxics.
    Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 27 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Is there something tainted or cursed about this place?
    Kennedy French, Variety, 4 Mar. 2026
  • The Iran-Contra affair tainted Ronald Reagan’s.
    Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Her absence haunts the episode, which is built around a protest against the building of a mine that could further pollute the land.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Mar. 2026
  • The settlement continues Oklahoma’s progress in holding poultry companies accountable for polluting the Illinois River Watershed, Drummond said.
    Barbara Hoberock, Oklahoman, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Carbon fiber offers high strength but requires high energy consumption to produce and is difficult to degrade.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
  • How Long Potting Soil Lasts Potting soil typically degrades after nine to 12 months once the bag is opened and can last up to two years when unopened, says Scott.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Mandel, who sells media rights to many of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world, praised the company for focusing on storytelling and turning the streaming service into the home for tennis.
    Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Eco effort Few & Far Luvhondo operates on solar power and is 100% zero waste, in part thanks to an army of black soldier flies that turn food scraps into fertilizer.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • And in Season 11, before the game even started, castaways hiked 11 miles through the Guatemalan jungle—a 24-hour trek in 100-degree heat that resulted in one collapse, one biceps tear, one vomiting spell, and one puncture wound from a poisonous tree barb.
    Kristen Geil, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
  • This was always a question of what happens to this friend group when there’s a poisonous dynamic at the center?
    Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Detainees have described a camp where an average of about 3,000 people per day live in loud and unsanitary quarters, diseases spread easily and sleep is a luxury.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026
  • That same month, Stewart, who had dedicated his career to ticks and Lyme disease as a federal scientist, retired early.
    Rachana Pradhan, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • South Florida’s bar scene is constantly spoiling us.
    Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Rancidity occurs when naturally occurring fats in the flour oxidize, like how olive oil can spoil.
    Amy Sherman, Martha Stewart, 4 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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