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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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
Reality check When Pocahontas sat for Van de Passe, his portrait did more than create a resemblance of the young woman, who would die the following year, soon after leaving London – felled either by disease or, as a Virginia tribe’s oral history suggests, poison. Peter C. Mancall, The Conversation, 25 May 2026 Not unlike an Agatha Christie whodunit, but featuring katanas instead of poison and revolvers, the stories all depict a seemingly impossible crime Murashige has to somehow solve. Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2026
Verb
Little does Linda realize that Bradley has poisoned the meal with deadly berries. Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026 The chemotherapy doctors are poisoning you. Eileen Finan, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
  • Portside residents face higher cancer risk from air toxics than 93% of the nation.
    Jose Franco Garcia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 May 2026
  • Asparagus releases a chemical toxic to root knot nematodes, a microscopic round worm that creates multiple disease and growth problems in tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and peppers.
    Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 3 May 2026
Verb
  • Does the fact that Burden is still pretty wealthy really taint this tale of heartbreak?
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
  • Otherwise, journalism may be perceived as misleading the audience, prompting people to turn to other sources of information that may be tainted by self-interest rather than public interest.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • But across Oklahoma, the fluid is spreading uncontrollably belowground, blasting out of old, unplugged wells, polluting land and contaminating drinking water.
    Katie Campbell, ProPublica, 2 June 2026
  • The city had rezoned the area allowing polluting heavy industry to proliferate the community.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • Damaged pans may be harder to use safely and may continue degrading with heat, cleaning and metal utensils.
    Ryan Brennan June 2, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
  • Years of degrading the Star Wars legacy with terrible, unwatchable streaming series and the disappointing end of the previous trilogy have taken their toll.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • This ability to turn humans into readers is the unique magic of children’s books—yes, even the books that adults might not love.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
  • With one play, Tre Phelps turned a quiet Athens Regional final on its head.
    Sarah Spencer, AJC.com, 1 June 2026
Adjective
  • Foxglove Foxglove features beautiful trumpet-like blossoms that are poisonous to cats.
    Amy DeYoung, USA Today, 3 June 2026
  • Some have thorns or spines, others have poisonous leaves or berries, and still others have…elaborate chemical defense alarm systems?
    Regina G. Barber, NPR, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • But some researchers who were involved in the network say the cuts weakened relationships with experts abroad that had been fostered over years, undercutting research collaborations on dangerous diseases like Ebola.
    Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 June 2026
  • The company also flags baseline cardiac disease, abnormal ECG, arrhythmia, prior cervical vagotomy, abnormal cervical anatomy, brain tumor or aneurysm history, head trauma, syncope, seizures and nickel allergy as unevaluated risks.
    Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • Telling the truth would cost millions and would spoil every car on the gravy train.
    Adam Graham, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
  • While the Giants had a chance to spoil Harrison’s predictable revenge game, the Brewers effectively put the game to rest by scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth to create a commanding five-run lead.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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