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
National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020
Some farmers even intentionally poison cranes to stop them from foraging in their crops.
—National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2020
Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Instead of gridlock, internal combustion machines spewing their poisons, and maddened drivers sitting on their horns, there are masses of…bicycles!
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 1 July 2025
Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
The case takes a turn when more people who seem to have nothing in common are poisoned, each of whom possessed a red envelope containing similar verses.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison
Adjective
Behavior and reproduction Most frogs are nocturnal, but not poison frogs.
—National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020
Some farmers even intentionally poison cranes to stop them from foraging in their crops.
—National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2020
Noun
Regular pesticides do not work on these squirrels, and spraying more toxic poisons around the base is against federal law and could harm the children of service members who live on base.
—Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
Instead of gridlock, internal combustion machines spewing their poisons, and maddened drivers sitting on their horns, there are masses of…bicycles!
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 1 July 2025
Verb
Israel is poisoning ties between the Druze and Damascus, working to entrench sectarian fault lines and keep partition on the table.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 2025
The case takes a turn when more people who seem to have nothing in common are poisoned, each of whom possessed a red envelope containing similar verses.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
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Air toxics and health The five air toxics that Colorado selected all have negative impacts on health.—
Jenni Shearston,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025
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The politics at Oakland Unified have moved from contentious to outright toxic in the past two years, with the board split on key votes around financial decisions.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Zelensky, claims that these crackdowns are needed because anti-corruption investigations were tainted by Russian influence and were doing Putin’s bidding.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
24 July 2025
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King’s family objected to the release, saying the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s surveillance of the progressive leader was tainted by the agency’s political bent at the time.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
Verb
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If contaminated floodwater is swallowed, or pollutes drinking water, this can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses such as stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.—
ByMary Kekatos,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
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For decades, biologists have studied how cities affect wildlife by altering food supplies, fragmenting habitats and polluting the environment.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Metal can tarnish or degrade when exposed to humidity, and many materials degrade when exposed to cardboard that isn't acid-free.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
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In the last year, Israel has managed to significantly degrade the capabilities of its adversaries, particularly Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and its June conflict with Iran – with the help of the U.S. – was widely seen as having dealt a significant blow to Tehran’s abilities to harm the Jewish state.—
Natasha Turak,
CNBC,
18 July 2025
Verb
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Fister, meanwhile, turned into a strikeout machine, and well, a latter-day Alexander, with an 11.4 K/BB ratio and a 1.79 ERA in 11 starts.—
Ryan Ford,
Freep.com,
29 July 2025
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The trade turned into one of the most lopsided deals in big-league history.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Almost every state has a variety of snake species, both poisonous and nonvenomous.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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This Kidde portable carbon monoxide detector uses batteries and is compact enough to slip into your carry-on, giving you peace of mind that your hotel room or Airbnb is free of poisonous levels of carbon monoxide.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Ten major warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease include memory loss, apathy, confusion about time or place, poor judgment, and difficulty with planning or organizing.—
Esther Heerema,
Verywell Health,
22 July 2025
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In January 2020, Ozzy appeared on Good Morning America with his wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne and their children, Jack Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne, and revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
22 July 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
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