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
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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
National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020
Some farmers even intentionally poison cranes to stop them from foraging in their crops.
—National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2020
Joanna Allhands, AZCentral.com, 7 July 2025
Just to name a few of the problems: gravity is too low, the radiation is too high, there’s no air, and the dirt is made of poison.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 31 July 2025
From 2000 to 2014, more than 140 people were poisoned to death in similar incidents while boating, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison
Adjective
Behavior and reproduction Most frogs are nocturnal, but not poison frogs.
—National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020
Some farmers even intentionally poison cranes to stop them from foraging in their crops.
—National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2020
Noun
This time, the goof who sprayed poison on our food did it for clicks.
—Joanna Allhands, AZCentral.com, 7 July 2025
Just to name a few of the problems: gravity is too low, the radiation is too high, there’s no air, and the dirt is made of poison.
—Alex Morris, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2025
Verb
During the trial, prosecutors said James Craig had poisoned his wife over the span of 10 days with arsenic, potassium cyanide, and tetrahydrozoline, a form of a medicine that is found in over-the-counter eye drops and nasal sprays.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 31 July 2025
From 2000 to 2014, more than 140 people were poisoned to death in similar incidents while boating, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
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Air toxics and health The five air toxics that Colorado selected all have negative impacts on health.—
Jenni Shearston,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025
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The politics at Oakland Unified have moved from contentious to outright toxic in the past two years, with the board split on key votes around financial decisions.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Since Do’s bribery scandal emerged, the county ordered a forensic audit of contracts he was involved with to see if more might be tainted.—
Michael Slaten,
Oc Register,
13 Aug. 2025
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Moreover, any political revisions of employment numbers long accepted as accurate by key users will taint confidence in other data series.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Flea Treatment Market Is Ripe For Innovation Though safer options exist, companies should innovate to find more solutions that protect our pets without polluting the planet.—
Arlene Blum,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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The other is synthetic, manmade, utilitarian and crumbles within decades but pollutes the environment forever.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Although Israel did not fully eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities, its air campaign delayed, degraded, and deterred Iran’s ambitions, and further transformed the Middle East’spolitical landscape.—
DAVID A. DEPTULA,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Aug. 2025
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They are also believed to degrade water quality, which can hurt sensitive organisms like freshwater mussels.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Lockhart turns these arresting settings into her own stage, capturing the vivid blues and greens of nature, and the remote island’s distinctive geology and geography, while the children at play within the landscapes bring movement and surprise to her extended static takes.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Aug. 2025
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If the edges of the leaves turn yellow or dry and the flowers fade and appear limp, your rose isn’t getting enough water.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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If touched, the toad’s poisonous glands emit toxins that can be rapidly absorbed in your dog’s bloodstream and kill her quickly.—
Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Aug. 2025
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While every season is different depending on the location, some of the past challenges have included walking across a tightrope over a cliff, rescuing themselves from a sinking car and invading a crate filled with poisonous gases and chemicals.—
Caroline Blair,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Water plants in the morning so foliage dries quickly to reduce the risk of foliar diseases.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 Aug. 2025
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Myths, folk tales, and negative media coverage mean people often link these flying mammals to vampires or blame them for disease outbreaks.—
Anna Tunkova,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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