venom

noun

ˈve-nəm How to pronounce venom (audio)
Definition of venomnext
1
as in poison
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing an antidote to snake venom

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm a neighborhood gossip of such venom that she was feared by all and genuinely liked by no one

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 venom Ultimately, the snakes posing the greatest danger are often not those with the strongest venom, but those most likely to encounter people far from adequate healthcare. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026 The venom is mildly toxic to mammals such as mice, and it is reported to only cause inflammation and skin discoloration in humans. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026 So, yes, there’s a reason most of us are right handed and no, dinosaurs have never actually spit venom. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for venom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for venom
  1. poison
  2. malice
  3. toxic
  4. hatred
  5. disease
  6. toxin
Noun
  • Aemond, still recovering from his mother’s poison, is mopier than usual, begging Alys to be left alone.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • In 1998, voters passed Proposition 4, which banned certain traps and animal poisons for recreational and commercial animal trapping.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of poison
Noun
  • Takamura tasks Musashi with eliminating the malice that has spread around the city.
    — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Epley points out that this tendency (homophily) is often driven by fear rather than malice.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of malice
Noun
  • In late May, about 50,000 people in Orange County were evacuated because, at a Garden Grove site operated by GKN Aerospace, tanks holding a volatile hazardous chemical called methyl methacrylate were at risk of exploding or leaking toxics.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
  • Munoz is an independent toxicologist working in collaboration with MAHA against pesticides and toxics.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Definition of toxic
Noun
  • The is mostly a political one that the far-right uses to stoke prejudice and hatred against a community already victimized by that and bullying.
    — Greg Cote August 9, Miami Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Nordic noir suggests the presence of violence and hatred beneath the tranquillity and order of the Scandinavian welfare state, just as Southern noir peels back hospitality and charm to reveal repressed family secrets and moral decay.
    — Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of hatred
Noun
  • The study’s findings also highlight the need for physicians to be alert to early signs of disease and consider blood pressure treatment, even in younger people, according to Freeman.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Etzel noted that the order makes several significant changes, which include reducing the number of diseases targeted by childhood vaccines and separating the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine into individual shots.
    — Adisa Hargett-Robinson, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of disease
Noun
  • At high levels, the toxin can cause short-term memory loss and seizures and be fatal in rare cases, state officials say.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The toxins can travel to other parts of your body, like major organs, wreaking havoc in the progress.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of toxin

Browse Nearby Words

venial
venom
venomous
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Cite this Entry

“Venom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/venom. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on venom

Nglish: Translation of venom for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about venom

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