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
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Recent Examples of poison
Megan McCluskey, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
Constant procedural upheaval and backlogs are poison.
—Scott White, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Don’t use poisons, traps, or deterrents that could cause harm.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
The courts said that map was poisoned by partisan considerations, forcing the Legislature to come up with a new map before the 2016 primary.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 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 authors reported there were 90,000 calls to poison control centers involving these products in 2023 alone.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Don’t use poisons, traps, or deterrents that could cause harm.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Lesch’s close contacts with al-Assad raised suspicions among some in Syria, and Lesch was poisoned twice.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2026
The courts said that map was poisoned by partisan considerations, forcing the Legislature to come up with a new map before the 2016 primary.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
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Manufacturers should be diligently working to clean up their supply chains and manufacturing practices to ensure their products are free of PFAS and other toxics.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
1 May 2026
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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
Verb
-
Murdaugh’s attorneys appealed the murder convictions, saying the trial was tainted by the county clerk’s improper comments to jurors, prejudicial evidence and failures at trial.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
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The election beating may have been the final straw for a leader already tainted by his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington despite the veteran politician’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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See, scientists know human drugs pollute aquatic environments – past studies have shown even anti-anxiety drugs can change how fish act.—
Regina G. Barber,
NPR,
12 May 2026
-
Toilet paper, a product that is used for a few seconds before being disposed of forever, is typically made with trees, energy-intensive manufacturing processes and chemicals that can pollute the environment.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
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While those also degrade over time, there are a few structures, like bone and teeth, that are very robust and protect proteins from the environment.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
-
For people with diabetes, heat degrades temperature‑sensitive medications and makes blood sugar harder to control.—
Anthony Nicome,
STAT,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Minnesota's Target Center turned into a political stage Saturday night as the Minnesota Lynx home opener against the Atlanta Dream was hijacked by a fan shouting anti-ICE sentiments.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
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If the 2026 first-rounder didn’t convey, then the Clippers would get Indiana’s unprotected 2031 pick, which is the same year franchise star Kawhi Leonard turns 40 years old.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Health officials urged anybody who may have eaten a poisonous mushroom to seek medical care immediately and contact the California Poison Control Hotline.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
Anyone who may have eaten a poisonous mushroom should seek medical care immediately and contact the California Poison Control Hotline at 800-222-1222.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported new hantavirus cases in Spain and France, drawing attention to the rare but potentially severe disease, which can cause serious respiratory complications in humans.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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People with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, or colitis may not tolerate high-fiber meals as well and sometimes require a lower-fiber approach.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
13 May 2026
Verb
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In one scene, Little Death lays outrageously bloody waste to the frisky incoming counselors of Camp Miasma (played by Zach Cherry, Quintessa Swindell, and Eva Victor, among others) in a long take set to a needle drop that shouldn’t be spoiled but that adds up to something worthy of blissing out to.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
14 May 2026
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That said, Collingwood cautions that soups made with certain ingredients such as dairy, meat, or seafood will spoil faster.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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