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

Wildlife officials had found that many of these poisons worked their way through the food chain, sickening and killing owls, raptors, coyotes and mountain lions. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Authorities have not identified the substance, but some of the poison sites give off a striking odor of diesel fuel. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Verb

For decades, many speculated Taylor had been poisoned with arsenic, as his sudden death happened during an intense political crisis over slavery. — Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026

Trump is also poisoning the process at a moment when the system for casting votes in the United States really does need shoring up. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026