as in poisonous
containing or contaminated with a substance capable of injuring or killing a living thing
leaving poisoned food to try to kill the roaches
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in tainted
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
poisoning the minds of impressionable children with ethnic hatred
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polluted
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
exhaust fumes poisoning the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in degraded
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
this party partisanship poisons the national debate we should be having about this urgent problem
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in turned
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
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Recent Examples of poisoned
Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors allege Richins poisoned her husband with a cocktail laced with illicit fentanyl while the couple was celebrating at their home in March 2022.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
In early 2025, Milwaukee discovered that lead paint had poisoned at least four students in its public schools.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
For decades, coyotes were systematically shot, poisoned and trapped to protect livestock.
—Lisa Bloch, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
It is inspired by a true story of the Angel Makers of Nagyrév, women from a small town in Romania who poisoned their mensfolk over 1911-29.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
Three, including a child, were poisoned to the point of needing liver transplants.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
For part of the trial of El Chapo, the city shut down the Brooklyn Bridge; his lawyers tried to move the proceedings to Philadelphia, because the jury pool was poisoned by angry commuters.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Last month, the California Poison Control System said that some of the people who had been poisoned by death caps spoke Spanish and might have relied on foraging practices developed outside the United States.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
Verb
To an extent Amorim was handed a chalice which has felt forever poisoned.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors allege Richins poisoned her husband with a cocktail laced with illicit fentanyl while the couple was celebrating at their home in March 2022.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
In early 2025, Milwaukee discovered that lead paint had poisoned at least four students in its public schools.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
For decades, coyotes were systematically shot, poisoned and trapped to protect livestock.
—Lisa Bloch, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
It is inspired by a true story of the Angel Makers of Nagyrév, women from a small town in Romania who poisoned their mensfolk over 1911-29.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 15 Jan. 2026
Three, including a child, were poisoned to the point of needing liver transplants.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
For part of the trial of El Chapo, the city shut down the Brooklyn Bridge; his lawyers tried to move the proceedings to Philadelphia, because the jury pool was poisoned by angry commuters.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Last month, the California Poison Control System said that some of the people who had been poisoned by death caps spoke Spanish and might have relied on foraging practices developed outside the United States.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poisoned
Adjective
-
The poisonous mushrooms can look and taste similar to edible ones.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
That provides them with some protection against eating the poisonous ones.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The fact that Katherine had been institutionalized may have tainted her scholarly reputation.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Both the original news reporting and police investigation would be tainted by these sexist views.—
Nathan Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In November, detainees at the facility sued, alleging the facility is polluted by sewage leaks and insect infestations, and that detainees can’t get proper medical attention for life-threatening conditions.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
21 Jan. 2026
-
About 90 years ago, American farmers in the Great Plains had so ravaged the thin soil there that a series of droughts turned the region into a vast expanse of dust, which formed monstrous storms and polluted the skies in cities hundreds of miles away.—
Mark Gongloff,
Mercury News,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Infrastructure in Venezuela is severely degraded, and any meaningful revival would likely require more than $100 billion in investment over a decade.—
Amena Bakr,
semafor.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The system degraded exactly as predicted.—
Staff report,
Daily News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For everyone other than the Hoosiers and Hurricanes, the page had been turned along with the calendar.—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The innocent girl turned jaded seductress, peeling off her sheer black lingerie to pose for the camera.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Dropped in recent years because carbs are poison.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Jan. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Fans were spoiled with 12 tracks of retro-inspired, plushy pop — and as the rollout suggested, the tracks painted a greater picture of Carpenter’s arduous dating experience, brought to life with production and writing support from acclaimed collaborators Jack Antonoff, John Ryan and Amy Allen.—
Meghan Mahar,
Billboard,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Chief on the film’s mind is what happens when the relative innocence of that blush of first infatuation — neither boy seems particularly troubled by his proclivity — is spoiled by outside forces, like family and the church.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Eating fruits or fruit products — such as raw date palm juice — contaminated with urine or saliva from infected fruit bats also contributes to spread.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
This exposure creates a high risk that products held at the facility may have been contaminated with harmful microorganisms.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poisoned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poisoned. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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