poison 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of poisonnext
as in poisoned
containing or contaminated with a substance capable of injuring or killing a living thing the witch gave Snow White a poison apple

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poison

2 of 3

noun

ˈpȯi-zᵊn How to pronounce poison (audio)
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

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poison

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable poisoning the minds of impressionable children with ethnic hatred

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2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable exhaust fumes poisoning the air

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3
as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality this party partisanship poisons the national debate we should be having about this urgent problem

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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

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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
Michelle spins a long and complicated tale, but insists Teddy was wrong about the Andromedans trying to infiltrate and poison humanity. — Megan McCluskey, Time, 31 Oct. 2025 Constant procedural upheaval and backlogs are poison. — Scott White, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
Wildlife officials had found that many of these poisons worked their way through the food chain, sickening and killing owls, raptors, coyotes and mountain lions. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 Authorities have not identified the substance, but some of the poison sites give off a striking odor of diesel fuel. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
For decades, many speculated Taylor had been poisoned with arsenic, as his sudden death happened during an intense political crisis over slavery. — Sophie Clausen, PEOPLE, 17 Aug. 2026 Trump is also poisoning the process at a moment when the system for casting votes in the United States really does need shoring up. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for poison
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poison
  1. poisonous
  2. toxic
  3. taint
  4. pollute
  5. degrade
  6. turn
  7. disease
  8. spoil
Adjective
  • But the point was just that Nick’s character is emulating Sheridan’s poisonous corrupted values, and the internet is a vehicle for that relationship.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
  • For this reason, these poisonous mushrooms are more commonly confused with other types of edible mushrooms like chicken of the woods and chanterelles (more on these in a minute).
    — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of poisonous
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
Verb
  • But Reese and her Dream teammates tainted the historic night during the final 20 seconds.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In July, the US was hit with a wave of explosive diarrhea caused by an outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that spreads through food and water tainted with human feces.
    — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of taint
Verb
  • Environmental groups advocated for SB 954 over concerns that the CEQA exemption could allow heavily polluting facilities to bypass environmental review.
    — Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The usual analogy is that generative AI and LLMs are akin to a factory that pollutes local waters.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of pollute
Verb
  • Moreover, certified testing by the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR) verified the materials won’t degrade, rating them for over 10 years of continuous use.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Use that gap to isolate the employee's side, then deliberately degrade whatever residual customer voice remains.
    — Vivek Thomas, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of degrade
Verb
  • The notes of bergamot, pink mint, cedar, and musk turn this thinning hair treatment into a luxury form of self-care.
    — Madison San Miguel, Allure, 5 Sep. 2026
  • This study was done at temperatures so low that even helium turns liquid.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of turn
Noun
  • New findings by a team of researchers from the US and Australia have complicated an ongoing debate over whether a total joint arthroplasty may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
    — Mike McRae August 31, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
  • As the disease progresses, people can develop a stiff neck, seizures and coma.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of disease
Verb
  • This happens when the fruit is left on the ground too long and begins to spoil.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Food spoiled during the outage, and the family temporarily relocated to Lucky’s mother’s home.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of spoil

Browse Nearby Words

poising
poison
poisoned
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Cite this Entry

“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poison. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on poison

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about poison

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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