as in poisonous
containing or contaminated with a substance capable of injuring or killing a living thing
leaving poisoned food to try to kill the roaches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in tainted
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 polluted
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 degraded
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
4
as in turned
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of poisoned
Arushi Jacob, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
Weinstein’s lawyers have argued that his New York conviction last year was poisoned by bad blood among jurors.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Could Ty Jones, whose autopsy said the 33-year-old died of heart issues, have been poisoned too?
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
But Antonelli also questioned reports the two had been deliberately poisoned.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
According to Italian media outlets Corriere della Sera and ANSA, citing local police, tests have shown that the pair were actually poisoned with ricin, a poison often used by terrorists.
—Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
The new summer blockbuster will follow Supergirl's three-day mission to obtain a cure for her superdog and friend, Krypto, who is poisoned by villainous alien Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
That is, until Krypto is poisoned by the henchmen of villain Krem of the Yellow Hills, with only three days to save him.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
Both release branches were poisoned within 39 minutes of each other.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
Who cares about the fact that her friend cheated when her child was poisoned by her husband and her father?
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
Weinstein’s lawyers have argued that his New York conviction last year was poisoned by bad blood among jurors.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
Could Ty Jones, whose autopsy said the 33-year-old died of heart issues, have been poisoned too?
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
But Antonelli also questioned reports the two had been deliberately poisoned.
—Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
According to Italian media outlets Corriere della Sera and ANSA, citing local police, tests have shown that the pair were actually poisoned with ricin, a poison often used by terrorists.
—Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
The new summer blockbuster will follow Supergirl's three-day mission to obtain a cure for her superdog and friend, Krypto, who is poisoned by villainous alien Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
That is, until Krypto is poisoned by the henchmen of villain Krem of the Yellow Hills, with only three days to save him.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
Both release branches were poisoned within 39 minutes of each other.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poisoned
Adjective
-
Hydrangeas are poisonous to dogs and cats.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 May 2026
-
Restoring the balance of the humors through profusely bleeding the patient or inducing vomiting or diarrhea with the poisonous plant hellebore.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An expert who spoke to New York magazine estimated that about 30 percent of the peptides tested for clients were contaminated or otherwise tainted.—
Erin Vanderhoof,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Court exhibit But that, too, Casteleiro argued, was tainted.—
Mary Murphy,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Testing by the University of Georgia that alerted the industry and state in 2008, when Bost was in her teens, showed the local Conasauga River that supplies the region’s drinking water was polluted.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
-
That is exactly what this film cleverly does — pinpoints the insidious nature of far-right movements and the creeping rhetoric that has polluted our society.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His moves to West Ham United and Milan have badly degraded the 33-year-old’s stock.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The war has degraded Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.—
Valerie Morkevicius,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What could’ve turned into a game of foul trouble and interruptions instead turned into a game Brunson controlled anyway.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
Doja Cat turned herself into a work of art in head-to-toe Saint Laurent to attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2026 Met Gala in New York City on Monday.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Power to the people is poison to the powerful.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Dropped in recent years because carbs are poison.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
What happens next cannot be spoiled, only experienced, with startled laughter.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
Cincy spoiled the shutout in the ninth off reliever Jimmy Herget when Will Benson tagged him for a two-run homer.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Use safe cleaning practices in areas contaminated by rodents.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The move comes after Utz was alerted that a flavor seasoning containing dry milk powder (supplied by a third-party carrier) could be contaminated with salmonella.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poisoned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poisoned. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
