poison 1 of 3

poison

2 of 3

noun

as in toxic
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

poison

3 of 3

verb

1
2
3
4
as in to turn
to cause to have often negative opinions formed without sufficient knowledge malicious rumors had poisoned many church members against the new pastor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 poison
Adjective
Behavior and reproduction Most frogs are nocturnal, but not poison frogs. National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020 Some farmers even intentionally poison cranes to stop them from foraging in their crops. National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2020
Noun
This hotel might consider moving that poison tree out of arm’s reach of its family suites. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025 In a case study based on six cases of pong pong seed ingestion reported to U.S. poison centers, Wermuth found that the amount of time between ingesting the seeds and developing symptoms varied. Angela Haupt, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
But Moscow and London have been trading diplomatic barbs for years, particularly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 poisoned relations between the two countries. Rob Picheta, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025 But the song resurfaces in the clumsiest of ways at the end of the episode, with a whispery cover by Wendy Wang providing the backdrop to the moment when Billy gets poisoned to death by Jane, who’s revealed to be working undercover for Sinatra. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
Noun
  • In Colorado, the process to choose the five priority air toxics included consulting with multiple stakeholders.
    Jenni Shearston, The Conversation, 25 Feb. 2025
  • What these arguments fail to understand is that DEI protections were put in place for certain groups because of historically discriminatory hiring practices and to course-correct toxic, racist, ableist, homophobic, transphobic, and sexist workplaces.
    Kathleen Newman-Bremang, refinery29.com, 30 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Apologies to the late John Lennon, but that song has been tainted for many. Need a break?
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The river is tainted with harmful toxins from industrial waste, trash and untreated sewage.
    Kimberly Dickson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Seventy percent of the beaches in Gaza are polluted with sewage because of the lack of electricity, preventing them from treating wastewater.
    Troy Aidan Sambajon, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2025
  • And while housing grows increasingly unaffordable, homeless camps have exploded, spilling into city parks, crowding sidewalks, and polluting sensitive waterways, despite unprecedented public spending.
    Angela Hart, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Government lawyers argue that Meta's services have degraded in quality in part because of its dominant position in the marketplace.
    Bobby Allyn, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025
  • According to the National Institutes of Health, ALS progressively degrades, then kills nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But the moment of flexing soon turned into a public apology and her taking accountability for the effect of the song.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Lisa Rinna turned Wednesday’s H&M & LA event in Los Angeles into a family affair, attending the event alongside her daughters Delilah Belle and Amelia Gray Hamlin.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
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
Noun
  • The Harmattan facilitates the spread of diseases, such as influenza.
    Christophe Lavaysse, JSTOR Daily, 17 Apr. 2025
  • However, in the U.S., the CDC has concluded there is no evidence that pesticides are effective in preventing these diseases and does not recommend this practice.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.
    Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 13 Feb. 2023
  • Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.
    Monica Mark, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2023

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on poison

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!