as in poisonous
containing or contaminated with a substance capable of injuring or killing a living thing
certain plants are toxic if eaten
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in poison
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing
tested for toxics in the water supply
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of toxic
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
The New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act would not only reduce plastic packaging, but also phase out 17 toxic chemicals and substances — including phthalates and bisphenols — that touches our food and beverages.
—Shanna Swan, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
In 2023, 20 steel mills and coke plants nationwide emitted nearly 2.4 million pounds of air toxics, 289,722 tons of criteria air pollutants and 43.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, according to the study.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toxic
Adjective
The idea is that in a society that has allegedly become hostile to men—male privilege coded as toxic masculinity, and so on—the only way for boys to gain an edge is to be handsome.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
The New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act would not only reduce plastic packaging, but also phase out 17 toxic chemicals and substances — including phthalates and bisphenols — that touches our food and beverages.
—Shanna Swan, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
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
In 2023, 20 steel mills and coke plants nationwide emitted nearly 2.4 million pounds of air toxics, 289,722 tons of criteria air pollutants and 43.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, according to the study.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toxic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toxic
Adjective
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Trump’s populist allies have learned that their most poisonous ideas have a potent audience.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Here’s a guide to nine common indoor plants that are poisonous to pets, along with the symptoms every pet owner should recognize.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Drawing this degraded, sour crude is akin to pumping industrial poison through our midstream and downstream networks.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
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Calls to poison centers in the United States about the widely available herb kratom increased more than 1,200% between 2015 and 2025, new research has found.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Eventually an eye infection took her to a doctor who diagnosed her with an autoimmune disease.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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Scientists were searching for a new breed of pear tree resistant to a nasty fungus called fire blight, a disease that can decimate crops.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There certainly are harmful chemicals, carcinogens, toxins, heavy metals, respiratory irritants and other things inside of there that certainly can cause immediate harm.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Anthrax bacteria can cleave vital proteins with toxins and wreak havoc on their cellular adversaries.—
Hannah Kinzer,
The Conversation,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toxic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toxic. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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