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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of poison
Scott White, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Behavior and reproduction Most frogs are nocturnal, but not poison frogs.
—National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020
Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Everybody agrees that social media promotes poison.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Defense attorneys for Mangione had asked Garnett to dismiss his federal charges and to remove the death penalty as a sentencing option, arguing that comments by senior officials poisoned the case.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison
Adjective
Constant procedural upheaval and backlogs are poison.
—Scott White, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Behavior and reproduction Most frogs are nocturnal, but not poison frogs.
—National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020
Noun
Though surrounded by a foul matrix of past and future misdeeds, the act feels pure, untouched by the poison of the Black Rabbit’s kitchen.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Everybody agrees that social media promotes poison.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
After slipping downstairs and getting poisoned, among other humiliating acts, Carr ends up in a body cast and in a puddle of his own waste with his arm immobilized in a persistent sieg heil.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Defense attorneys for Mangione had asked Garnett to dismiss his federal charges and to remove the death penalty as a sentencing option, arguing that comments by senior officials poisoned the case.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
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In 2023, 20 steel mills and coke plants nationwide emitted nearly 2.4 million pounds of air toxics, 289,722 tons of criteria air pollutants and 43.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, according to the study.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
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Is there any hope of finding a way to take the toxic and turn it into a net positive?—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
-
King Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, has been tainted by his own friendship with Epstein.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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China’s is arguably the most important; whatever the world’s most-polluting country does will determine the planet’s climate trajectory.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
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Transition finance, where financial firms actively pursue opportunities to fund polluting companies’ emissions reductions, has become a hot area.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The combination of cold temperatures, low downforce, and low cornering speeds meant that the Pirelli tires didn't really degrade, helping out the teams that, unlike McLaren, don't look after their tires well when the situation is reversed.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
22 Sep. 2025
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Just be sure not to add it to any hot liquids (so that cozy cup of coffee or matcha is a no-go), as heat can degrade the bioactive compounds.—
Jessie Quinn,
StyleCaster,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Today, school districts can purchase attack drones, white boards that turn into bunkers, and bullet-proof glass film, among a coterie of other high-tech products.—
Tonya Simpson,
ABC News,
24 Sep. 2025
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At the other extreme, Zankov turned argyle into a mix of color and geometry that reads maximalism at its best.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Rather than allowing herself to be captured by the Romans, legend has it that Cleopatra let a poisonous asp bite her in Alexandria, according to the documentary.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Leninism, with its Bolshevik contempt for religion and family; Frantz Fanon's poisonous doctrine that violence is not only justified but the very path to human dignity; and Islamism's contempt for the West.—
Ayaan Hirsi Ali,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Health experts have underscored that the best protection against the disease is the vaccine, either given alone or as part of a measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shot or a measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
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The immunizations in question are for school-aged children, protecting against infections and diseases like tetanus, polio, measles and whooping cough.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Despite holding the lead for much of the game, Federico Chiesa’s 87th-minute equaliser threatened to spoil what was a near-complete performance.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
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Uber Eats’ new Fresh Guarantee means that if your fresh item arrives spoiled, damaged, stale, or past its best-by date, the company will ensure a full review and refund for eligible items.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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