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
The beloved terrier Krypto gets shot with a poison dart that will kill him in 72 hours; that’s how long Kara has to retrieve the antidote. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 June 2026 On their first encounter, Krem poisons Krypto, Kara's super-dog, leaving her with only three days to retrieve the antidote. Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 24 June 2026
Verb
In addition to Cindy trying out the too-good-to-be-true injection, Gail Hailstorm (Cheri Oteri) also takes a dose which turns out to be fatal because it was poisoned by Ghostface. Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026 The ants are attracted to the water and sugar, and take the borax back to the nest to poison the colony. Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Adjective
  • The cane toad, also known as the bufo toad or the marine toad, is known for the large, poisonous glands behind its eyes that secrete toxins when it’s touched.
    Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026
  • Berlin — Authorities across Germany have been battling an aggressive outbreak of poisonous caterpillars, which can cause severe health issues and have led to the closure of parks and other outdoor spaces, including in Berlin.
    Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 23 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
  • District Court Judge Tony Graf ordered measures to prevent the comments by Utah County prosecutor Christopher Ballard from tainting potential jurors should the case go to trial.
    Reuters, NBC news, 26 June 2026
  • Attorneys on both sides have raised concerns that the misinformation and extensive media attention could taint the potential jury pool.
    CBS News, CBS News, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Compared with synthetic fibers, which slough off microplastics that pollute waterways, land and air, natural fibers can be grown or raised in ways that sequester carbon, improve soil health and reduce inputs like pesticides, resulting in a lower environmental footprint, Pingree said.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
  • This is because hot sunny conditions also aid the formation of super pollutants, like tropospheric zone, black carbon and methane, which pollute the air, causing impacting human health and damage to crops.
    Jamie Hailstone, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • This involves sealing all cracks, crevices and entry points with materials that won't degrade over time.
    Alora Bopray, USA Today, 24 June 2026
  • Batteries degrade, actuators wear out, sensors drift, and every safety case has to hold.
    Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • By building circuits whose states naturally fluctuate with this environmental heat, thermodynamic computing turns an otherwise stochastic and chaotic feature of nature into an incredibly fast, ultra-low-energy calculator.
    Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026
  • Lestat is basically in Hell; having turned Nicky, he is now forever severed from him mentally, while Nicky’s mental state continues to deteriorate.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • Speaking with Seacoast Online, part of the USA TODAY Network, three years after his diagnosis, Hall said the symptoms of the disease can come and go.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • While bedbugs are not known to spread or transmit disease, the Environmental Protection Agency considers the parasitic insects a pest that can cause other public health issues such as allergic reactions, secondary infections and mental health impacts on those living in infested homes.
    William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Outside the Lineage warehouse Thursday morning, the smell of heavy smoke was already being replaced with that of spoiling food and filthy water.
    Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
  • Against Australia in the last 16, Argentina were again labouring when faced with an inferior opponent, digging in and determined to spoil their World Cup dreams.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 23 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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