as in poison
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing
read a pamphlet on the toxin responsible for botulism, a food poisoning that can cause paralysis and even death in some cases
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Recent Examples of toxin
Rising temperatures increase the frequency of harmful algal blooms, which can produce toxins that affect wildlife and human health.
—
Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
When waters overheat, the microscopic algae living inside coral stop producing sugar – the coral’s food source – and instead release toxins.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
Three lakes in central Wisconsin's Adams County have been plagued with unsightly, mucky algae blooms for years, some of which have produced harmful toxins.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The Biological Weapons Convention, which came into force in 1975 and now has 189 members, prohibits countries from developing, producing, and acquiring biological agents or toxins that do not have justifiable purposes.
—Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toxin
Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
When waters overheat, the microscopic algae living inside coral stop producing sugar – the coral’s food source – and instead release toxins.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
Three lakes in central Wisconsin's Adams County have been plagued with unsightly, mucky algae blooms for years, some of which have produced harmful toxins.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The Biological Weapons Convention, which came into force in 1975 and now has 189 members, prohibits countries from developing, producing, and acquiring biological agents or toxins that do not have justifiable purposes.
—Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toxin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toxin
Noun
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Burning forests poisons the atmosphere.—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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In 2023, a barred owl known as Owen was rescued near Boston’s Faneuil Hall after ingesting rat poison.—
Nara Schoenberg,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Just last week, for example, the Trump administration, through its Environmental Protection Agency, proposed to withdraw two rules imposing air toxics and greenhouse gas limits on fossil-fuel power plants.—
Wayne Messam,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 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
Noun
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This isn’t the first study to suggest the importance of breakfast for living a long life—research has shown that regularly eating a morning meal is linked with lower overall and heart-related mortality (and that bypassing it can up your heart-disease risk).—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
4 Sep. 2025
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Yet America’s system is transactional, rewarding affluence while neglecting the very conditions that produce disease.—
Stan Chu Ilo,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Victims of a snake bite are advised not to try to remove the venom themselves or to tie off the bite area.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Wolf spider bites are not poisonous and won't cause sores or body-wide symptoms from its venom.—
Carrie Madormo,
Health,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toxin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toxin. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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