poisons 1 of 2

plural of poison
as in diseases
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

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poisons

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of poison
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2
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as in turns
to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge malicious rumors had poisoned many church members against the new pastor

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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 poisons
Noun
In that timespan, prosecutors say Craig researched poisons and then bought arsenic, cyanide and other deadly substances and used them to kill his wife, Angela Craig. Doc Louallen, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2025 It is built for gas exchange, not for filtering poisons. Bill Frist, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 While standard rat poisons accumulate in the animal’s body, the active ingredient in the Good Works contraceptive is rapidly metabolized in the rat’s liver. Nara Schoenberg, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025 Fumigants, poisons, or traps are not advised for armadillo control, say experts. Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 22 Aug. 2025 Evidence from a computer seized from Patterson’s home showing searches for other kinds of poisons was also excluded from the trial. CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poisons
Noun
  • While many consider the mammal a nuisance for raiding garbage cans and damaging property, raccoons can also carry diseases, and they probably shouldn't be kept as housepets.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Consuming too many calories paves the way for obesity and related diseases like Type 2 diabetes.
    Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • 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
Verb
  • Debris pollutes waterways, cooking fires may spread, and the District Attorney’s Office has repeatedly documented how homeless residents are more likely to be victims of crime.
    Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Most space debris pollutes low-Earth orbit.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
    Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Penn State’s season turns into a nightmare This is an unfathomable result for the Nittany Lions, who just eight days ago were considered national championship contenders.
    Cameron Teague Robinson, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Pine straw turns brown fairly quickly.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Environmental advocates say the new regulation of air toxics, which was required under a 2022 bill called Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants, will make the state’s air cleaner and its people healthier.
    Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Nothing spoils a Sunday afternoon outside with the family quite like your youngest child being carried off by a horde of maladjusted howler monkeys.
    Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Pre-cut produce also spoils quicker and could pick up pathogens when sliced open.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Untreated nitrogen often contaminates groundwater and causes algal blooms that damage ecosystems.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Leached water from textile waste in landfills contaminates groundwater with harmful chemicals and dyes, which can alter the pH and clarity of surface water.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 6 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Poisons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poisons. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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