Synonyms of poison

poison 1 of 3

adjective

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

• poisoned
• poisonous
• toxic
• venomous
• harmful
• envenomed
• infectious
• infective
• malignant
• injurious
• pathogenic
• lethal
• virulent
• deleterious
• baneful
• contagious
• pestilential
• fatal
• noxious
• unhealthful
• hurtful
• deadly
• nocuous
• unwholesome
• pestilent
• unhealthy
• calamitous
• fell
• murderous

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• beneficial
• nontoxic
• curative
• healthy
• helpful
• healthful
• remedial
• wholesome
• palliative
• nonpoisonous
• harmless
• salutary
• salubrious
• benign
• innocuous
• nonvenomous
• inoffensive
• nonfatal
• nonlethal

poison

2 of 3

noun

ˈpȯi-zᵊn 

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

• toxic
• disease
• venom
• toxin
• pesticide
• virus
• toxicant
• bane
• contagion
• insecticide
• cancer
• herbicide
• germicide
• fungicide
• microbicide

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• antidote
• cure
• antivenin
• antivenom
• elixir
• panacea
• mithridate
• cure-all

poison

3 of 3

verb

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

• taint
• spoil
• stain
• mar
• darken
• touch
• tarnish
• discredit
• vitiate
• smear
• degrade
• soil
• pollute
• corrupt
• blemish
• distort
• blacken
• dirty
• tar
• blur
• smudge
• besmirch
• disgrace
• cloud
• dishonor
• shame
• discolor
• smut
• sully
• besmear
• sink
• pervert
• subvert
• debase
• foul
• deprave
• lower
• smirch
• debauch
• demean
• twist
• cheapen
• abase
• color
• demoralize
• begrime
• bastardize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• purify
• cleanse
• elevate
• glorify
• magnify
• uplift
• dignify
• ennoble
• enshrine
• hallow

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

• pollute
• contaminate
• taint
• infect
• defile
• befoul
• foul
• soil
• dirty
• stain
• dilute
• besmirch
• smudge
• adulterate
• rot
• sully
• blacken
• corrupt
• mire
• foul up
• muddy
• spoil
• water down
• smirch
• grime
• begrime
• doctor

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• purify
• clean
• purge
• cleanse
• clarify
• clear
• decontaminate
• filter
• distill
• sterilize
• disinfect
• sanitize

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

• degrade
• corrupt
• weaken
• dilute
• destroy
• damage
• subvert
• deteriorate
• humiliate
• ruin
• debauch
• pervert
• prostitute
• canker
• taint
• pollute
• debase
• deprave
• contaminate
• disgrace
• demean
• lessen
• vitiate
• harm
• hurt
• bastardize
• dirty
• abase
• warp
• demoralize
• shame
• cheapen
• profane
• mar
• humble
• impair
• water down
• wreck
• spoil
• thin
• dishonor
• defile
• stain
• flaw
• tarnish
• befoul
• descend
• take down
• begrime
• deface
• downgrade
• blemish
• depreciate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• improve
• better
• elevate
• uplift
• honor
• perfect
• enhance
• exalt
• enrich
• ennoble
• amend
• ameliorate
• purify
• clean
• restore
• cleanse
• dignify
• refine
• clarify
• respect
• meliorate

4

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

• turn
• prejudice
• bias
• persuade
• convince
• influence
• dispose
• predispose
• incline
• prepossess
• suggest

Example Sentences

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

Stopa went on the run, later killing herself by swallowing poison in a Detroit hotel room. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026

These baits typically contain a slow-acting poison that the earwigs will carry back to their nests, affecting the entire population. — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2026

Verb

GPT-4o taught me how to poison a dinner party with common plants found in a temperate forest environment. — IEEE Spectrum, 14 July 2026

Michael seemed to be saying that by admitting her dishonesty, Ethel would have ruined their childhood and poisoned any prospect of a future relationship with her. — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026