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
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
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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
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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
Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Emily and her siblings had read for years in the newspaper of those who shot themselves, cut their own throats, and swallowed poison.
—Literary Hub, 12 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
Last week, forensic investigators announced that zinc phosphide — a highly toxic chemical commonly used in rat poison — had been detected in the victims’ organs and in watermelon samples collected during the investigation, per the outlet.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
Emily and her siblings had read for years in the newspaper of those who shot themselves, cut their own throats, and swallowed poison.
—Literary Hub, 12 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
-
Murdaugh’s attorneys appealed the murder convictions, saying the trial was tainted by the county clerk’s improper comments to jurors, prejudicial evidence and failures at trial.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
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The election beating may have been the final straw for a leader already tainted by his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington despite the veteran politician’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Verb
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See, scientists know human drugs pollute aquatic environments – past studies have shown even anti-anxiety drugs can change how fish act.—
Regina G. Barber,
NPR,
12 May 2026
-
Toilet paper, a product that is used for a few seconds before being disposed of forever, is typically made with trees, energy-intensive manufacturing processes and chemicals that can pollute the environment.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
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While those also degrade over time, there are a few structures, like bone and teeth, that are very robust and protect proteins from the environment.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
-
For people with diabetes, heat degrades temperature‑sensitive medications and makes blood sugar harder to control.—
Anthony Nicome,
STAT,
13 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
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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
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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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The World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported new hantavirus cases in Spain and France, drawing attention to the rare but potentially severe disease, which can cause serious respiratory complications in humans.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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People with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, or colitis may not tolerate high-fiber meals as well and sometimes require a lower-fiber approach.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
13 May 2026
Verb
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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 19 May. 2026.
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