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
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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
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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
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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
Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
The poison can cause disorientation, seizures and death.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
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
Medical examiners would also conduct a chemical analysis during an autopsy to test for poisons and medical conditions.
—Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
The poison can cause disorientation, seizures and death.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
Notions had persisted that Brahe was poisoned to death with mercury, but later analyses of his bones and teeth disproved the idea.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?
—Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
-
Israeli policy has made the very subject toxic, turning normalization into a domestic and strategic risk for Arab leaders and their governments.—
GALIP DALAY,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Oct. 2025
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Environmental advocates say the new regulation of air toxics, which was required under a 2022 bill called Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants, will make the state’s air cleaner and its people healthier.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The lawsuit seeks restitution, punitive damages, and a court order requiring Spotify to disclose whether Discovery Mode is tainted by money or royalty deals.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
5 Nov. 2025
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In November 2024, an American citizen was among six tourists who died in Laos, where alcohol tainted with methanol was blamed for poisoning them.—
Jay Ganglani,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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If it’s harvested from an area that’s been polluted, there’s a possibility it could be contaminated with unsafe minerals like mercury or arsenic.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
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In contrast to polluting polyester, these fibers are biodegradable and will naturally decompose after disposal.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Mirrors have poor reflectivity and degrade fast, while normal lenses absorb XUV light and stretch the attosecond pulses, blurring their precision.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
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Wallin points out that half of the world’s GDP, amounting to $44 trillion, is directly dependent on nature, yet the essential systems that support economic stability continue to be degraded.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Yuileta Lopez, a teen growing up in Texas, decides to turn her anger and outrage into activism.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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The surge in demand is already driving up energy prices and fueling political backlash as sprawling data centers turn into election-season flashpoints in the communities where they are being constructed.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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For all their sophistication—transforming a poisonous root and its leaves into a whole range of delicacies is no mean feat—for years such dishes were seen by the city’s elite as the food of poverty.—
Michael Snyder,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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By appointing a man who was deeply unpopular with fans by the end of his reign so recently, though, Wolves would have been condemning him and his players to working in a poisonous environment from day one.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The result is a hybrid system capable of autonomously targeting and treating disease sites with minimal disruption.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
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As Hoffine noted, hunger often kills not just through starvation, but by weakening immune systems to the point where people can't fight off disease.—
Nurith Aizenman,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Pluribus crackles with terrific comic tension as Carol wakes up next to her dead partner, filled with grief yet spoiling for a fight.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
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Without spoiling too much, the two-minute clip finds Carol weathering ample concern for her less-than-cheery demeanor.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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