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as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body mixing bleach and ammonia can cause noxious fumes that can seriously harm you

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word noxious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of noxious are baneful, deleterious, detrimental, and pernicious. While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind.

noxious chemical fumes

When is it sensible to use baneful instead of noxious?

The words baneful and noxious can be used in similar contexts, but baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying.

the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

When would deleterious be a good substitute for noxious?

In some situations, the words deleterious and noxious are roughly equivalent. However, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect.

a diet found to have deleterious effects

When could detrimental be used to replace noxious?

While the synonyms detrimental and noxious are close in meaning, detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified.

the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

When might pernicious be a better fit than noxious?

The meanings of pernicious and noxious largely overlap; however, pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

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 noxious In the early 2000s, investigators documented a stew of noxious chemicals that remained at the factory property, among them 1,4-dioxane, which turned out to spread more widely than the other chemicals. Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2025 The show then positions him as a lowly subordinate to his rich half-siblings throughout the season, a choice made more noxious by how the script uses his working-class roots as the basis for jokes at his expense. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2025 The vast majority of the victims died of asphyxiation, choking to death on the thick clouds of noxious gas and ash. Ars Technica, 27 Feb. 2025 And, of course, the terrible, unfair, unremitting pressure on actresses to comply with unrealistic Hollywood beauty standards that nourish that noxious need. Valerie Monroe, Allure, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for noxious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for noxious
Adjective
  • Though gorgeous with color, azaleas are poisonous to animals and humans when ingested.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Every part of the pong pong tree is poisonous, but the leaves and barks aren’t as potent as the seeds.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Shiny and minty, these balms provide a gloss-like effect while protecting your lips from the sun’s harmful rays.
    Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The debate over the law centers on balancing accountability for harmful content with the risks of censorship and stifled innovation.
    Daryl Lim, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • These were disgusting, irresponsible comments by someone who is charged with overseeing public health for hundreds of millions of people.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Do not tell the patient disgusting hospital stories about your own operations or procedures.
    Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In lieu of discussions of who is best for the role artistically, the question becomes who will sell more tickets (Ivy has 3 million followers but TikTok influencers rally around Chloe) and create a less toxic workplace.
    Christian Lewis, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Hacks follows the hilariously toxic relationship between Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a legendary Las Vegas comedian trying to stage a comeback, and Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), a younger sad sack comedy writer.
    Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Prioritising one competition in favour of another is a dangerous game to play in any case when the stakes are so high.
    Mark Critchley, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The most immediate context for this comment is presumably both the backlash to Hogwarts Legacy and the ongoing backlash over Rowling’s views writ large regarding trans women being dangerous predators.
    Aja Romano, Vox, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Everyone knew it, especially when some San Francisco Giants batters took ugly hacks against it in the first inning.
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Win that one, too, of course, and the No. 1-seed Cleveland Cavaliers and the best record in the NBA Eastern Conference would await to very likely only elongate the end for this Heat season and end it ugly. Do not expect a play-in to the Finals miracle run like Miami pulled off two years ago.
    Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The unhealthful effects of autocracy remain robust even when accounting for economic differences and when excluding Venezuela and its collapsing health-care system.
    Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2020
  • However, communities in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains were still experiencing unhealthful air quality, according to the air district.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2024
Adjective
  • In the study, the researchers measured patients’ impulse control behavior disorders, excessive daytime sleepiness, blood pressure changes and weight changes, and found that the adverse effects linked to tavapadon were no different from those who received a placebo.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • So far, Lilly said the adverse effects of its new pill are consistent with GLP-1s, a class of medications primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Noxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/noxious. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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