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
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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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
Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 17 May 2026
Officials are relying heavily on poison control reports and are working to add amatoxin poisoning to the state’s list of reportable conditions.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 16 May 2026
Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 May 2026
The scheme evolved into a plan to poison children at Jewish schools in Brooklyn.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 13 May 2026
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
At the same time, its poison has claimed countless lives throughout history.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 17 May 2026
Officials are relying heavily on poison control reports and are working to add amatoxin poisoning to the state’s list of reportable conditions.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 16 May 2026
Verb
Kouri Richins, a Utah woman convicted of fatally poisoning her husband with fentanyl, is set to be sentenced for murder on Wednesday.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 May 2026
The scheme evolved into a plan to poison children at Jewish schools in Brooklyn.
—Chloe Atkins, NBC news, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
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Manufacturers should be diligently working to clean up their supply chains and manufacturing practices to ensure their products are free of PFAS and other toxics.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
1 May 2026
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Taking supporting women’s wrongs—and rights—to new levels, everyone’s favorite toxic on-screen Girl Boss duo are back for a fourth season of Industry: Harper Stern and Yasmin Kara-Hanani.—
Chloe Laws,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But the judge balked, citing concerns over the field trip becoming a spectacle that would draw a crowd of protesters, which could then taint the jury.—
Hannah Meisel,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
-
After today, his legacy and his political future will forever be tainted and spoiled.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
19 May 2026
Verb
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As a brand built on ethical fashion on a mission to improve the industry, Everlane—and its CEO—has sold its soul to the devil by associating itself with one (if not the) most polluting fast-fashion player in the world.—
Clara Ludmir,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
However, the oceans are in trouble and are constantly polluted with plastic, particularly single-use plastic bags, which is a huge problem.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Travel + Leisure,
18 May 2026
Verb
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More than three decades of Arctic exposure have severely degraded many structures.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
20 May 2026
-
High heat causes coatings to degrade faster and shortens the lifespan of the pan dramatically.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Professional commentators tended to see these developments in so many local terms—turning, for their explanations, to national histories, cultures and institutions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
The question turned into an accidental personality test, exposing some of each artist’s values.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Health officials urged anybody who may have eaten a poisonous mushroom to seek medical care immediately and contact the California Poison Control Hotline.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
Anyone who may have eaten a poisonous mushroom should seek medical care immediately and contact the California Poison Control Hotline at 800-222-1222.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Over time, however, the disease has spread across the East Coast and Midwest, with diagnoses reaching 35 states.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
21 May 2026
-
In later life, this formative programming can increase the risk of not only mental illnesses like depression, but physical diseases too, such as cancer and obesity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
In one scene, Little Death lays outrageously bloody waste to the frisky incoming counselors of Camp Miasma (played by Zach Cherry, Quintessa Swindell, and Eva Victor, among others) in a long take set to a needle drop that shouldn’t be spoiled but that adds up to something worthy of blissing out to.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
14 May 2026
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That said, Collingwood cautions that soups made with certain ingredients such as dairy, meat, or seafood will spoil faster.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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