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
Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
The Vietnam War had proven to be a long-term poison in the system of our military, especially the Army.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
The assumption behind the lawsuit against Big Food is the usual narrative of big, bad profit-seeking food companies lying to consumers, poisoning their plates, and paying off the regulators.
—Yael Ossowski, Oc Register, 23 Dec. 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
People are sick and tired of the poison and divisiveness stoked by our politicians and by social media.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
The Vietnam War had proven to be a long-term poison in the system of our military, especially the Army.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
With intact skin and tissue, the mummified body, thought to be an 18th century clergyman, had drawn speculation of healing properties and even rumors of being poisoned.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Dec. 2025
The assumption behind the lawsuit against Big Food is the usual narrative of big, bad profit-seeking food companies lying to consumers, poisoning their plates, and paying off the regulators.
—Yael Ossowski, Oc Register, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
-
The Michigan Legislature passed a law in 2008 meant to protect the public from harmful electronic waste toxics.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 Dec. 2025
-
East Bay parks officials say hikers should beware of an unusually large number of toxic — and potentially deadly — mushrooms sprouting across the region.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Lawyers also argued the conviction should be overturned because the verdict was tainted by the media attention and due to faulty instructions to the jury.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Just as one bite of a cookie might not happen to contain chocolate chips, one small sample of drugs might not include fentanyl even if the larger supply is tainted, the agency’s website explains.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
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
-
In contrast to polluting polyester, these fibers are biodegradable and will naturally decompose after disposal.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
His mother previously told the Observer that his mental health degraded in the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The information ecosystem is degrading more each moment.—
Damon Beres,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Researchers in Germany are set to turn green waste, hay and algae into fully biodegradable plastics.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Together, these trends have turned industrial space into a cornerstone of national logistics and digital capacity.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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
-
Plant diseases and pests can be spread by reusing dirty flower pots.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
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In 2024, Patrick's widow Lisa Niemi Swayze teamed up with leading non profit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to help raise awareness of the disease and increase funding for research.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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 9 Jan. 2026.
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