poison 1 of 3

poison

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noun

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

poison

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verb

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as in to turn
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 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
The one person Timothy doesn’t mean to poison ends up poisoning himself. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 The Pong Pong tree has been a popular choice for poison in Southeast Asia and South Asia for centuries. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
The spill poisoned the river’s ecosystem for a 40-mile stretch, killing tens of thousands of fish, as well as all the bugs and vegetation. Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025 But within days, conspiracy theories took over, accusing the company of wanting to poison people. Taazima Kala, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
  • The toxics killed fish and wildlife, closed beaches, and endangered environmentally sensitive areas.
    Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2025
  • In Colorado, the process to choose the five priority air toxics included consulting with multiple stakeholders.
    Jenni Shearston, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • In the 84th minute of a 3-3 draw between Hamburg and Stuttgart in October 2013, the 20-year-old Rudiger tainted his emergence as one of Germany’s brightest young defenders by punching the Dutchman in the ribs.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 1 May 2025
  • Superman remains a major brand, despite how tainted DC’s overall brand became, because the character built up a great deal of good will for decades in comics, on TV, and on film.
    Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Even so, a 2022 study from the Royal Astronomical Society showed that artificial light was polluting the skies over most observatories, while suggesting that immediate action would be needed to safeguard these scientific bastions.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Just as pollution from early factories unexpectedly damaged the environment, AI systems risk polluting the digital environment by flooding the Internet with synthetic content.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Placing the wrong items in the recycling bin can damage recycling equipment or degrade the recycling process.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2025
  • Trump stated that the Houthis requested the ceasefire after his administration had successfully degraded the group's capabilities.
    Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • There’s a camera grip that also attaches to the bottom of the case to turn the whole setup into something resembling a camera.
    Ben Sin, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • Victor Ponta, a former leftist prime minister who has turned conservative nationalist, is ranked fourth but could prove a dark horse.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
Adjective
  • Nitrogen oxides are poisonous gases that help form lung-damaging soot particles, which can travel hundreds of miles.
    Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
  • After the poisonous snowfall begins, Salvo sets out to rescue his daughter, Clara, who was on a boat at the beginning of the attack.
    Caroline Blair, People.com, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • While much research is still needed into the disease’s progression, Edgerly said people can take steps to potentially reduce their risk.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Fighting the disease for over 30 years, Peters and his charity fundraised and sought to raise awareness on new treatments for cancer patients.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.
    Monica Mark, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 12 May. 2025.

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