as in poisoned
containing or contaminated with a substance capable of injuring or killing a living thing
the witch gave Snow White a poison apple
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
poisoning the minds of impressionable children with ethnic hatred
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
exhaust fumes poisoning the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
this party partisanship poisons the national debate we should be having about this urgent problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Megan McCluskey, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
Constant procedural upheaval and backlogs are poison.
—Scott White, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Acetamiprid is a neonicotinoid, modeled after nicotine, which was used as rat poison and insecticide as far back as the 1600s.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
Four people have died in California as a result of the amatoxin poisoning outbreak.
—Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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
The poison of vipers is on their lips—and yet stop.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
Acetamiprid is a neonicotinoid, modeled after nicotine, which was used as rat poison and insecticide as far back as the 1600s.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
Verb
In the end, he was poisoned by his right-hand man, Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly), who did so because Frank was planning to kill Claire.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
Four people have died in California as a result of the amatoxin poisoning outbreak.
—Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Adjective
-
Not only are the leaves poisonous to humans and pets, but the vine itself is invasive and can spread disease to trees.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
7 June 2026
-
The consequences ranged from hobbling Reconstruction to hastening the end of the Ottoman Empire to poisonous deflation, and the blundering response by governments helped shape the modern world.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
At the same time, the Trump administration has taken steps to roll back regulations on emissions from industrial facilities, such as mercury and other toxics emitted from coal plants.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
-
Portside residents face higher cancer risk from air toxics than 93% of the nation.—
Jose Franco Garcia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The left no longer believes that immigrants of diverse backgrounds should assimilate themselves into a national culture tainted by white supremacy, while the right views immigrants’ very presence in the country as a threat to that same national culture.—
Yoni Appelbaum,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
-
That’s been an idiotic trope for too long — that participating in the business side of it taints you.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Nothing in art about their being polluting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
-
Unless the energy powering data centers comes from clean energy sources, such as solar, wind or geothermal, generating that electricity also pollutes the air.—
Ed Maibach,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The country’s ministry of culture and sports set out a series of rules and regulations which included no pyro, no face paint and no shouting of words that could be degrading towards any person on the field, not even the referee.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
The bones also were coated with a light layer of minerals from the surrounding seawater, which may have prevented them from degrading.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Pinky asks Shamea and Drew to come to the casting call, which turns into delicious B-list-actor-industry drama.—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
America is turning 250, but some of its greatest treasures don't sit behind museum glass.—
Staff,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The full suite of vaccines against childhood diseases was almost complete by 1970.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The deadly plague is called Pierce’s disease.—
Seamus Bozeman
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Republicans have long held on to hope that Valadao might be able to hold on to his San Joaquin Valley district, spoiling Democratic hopes for a flip there.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Trailing by two games, San Antonio made a statement and spoiled the party at Madison Square Garden for Game 3.—
Leocciano Callao,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
