as in poison
a substance that by chemical action can kill or injure a living thing
read a pamphlet on the toxin responsible for botulism, a food poisoning that can cause paralysis and even death in some cases
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Recent Examples of toxin
Compared to other toxins in the environment like plasticizers and pesticides, outdoor air pollution is the most harmful type based on current evidence causing millions of deaths per year.
—
Matt Fuchs, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Maybe the nuns could be transformed into spa therapists at a wellness retreat and the toxin explained away as a surfeit of matcha.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Curcumin's antioxidant properties may also protect the lungs from damage caused by long-term exposure to toxins.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 4 Sep. 2025
According to the Vermont Department of Health, cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae that grow in freshwater, can release toxins into the water that create unsafe swimming conditions.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toxin
Matt Fuchs, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Maybe the nuns could be transformed into spa therapists at a wellness retreat and the toxin explained away as a surfeit of matcha.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Curcumin's antioxidant properties may also protect the lungs from damage caused by long-term exposure to toxins.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 4 Sep. 2025
According to the Vermont Department of Health, cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae that grow in freshwater, can release toxins into the water that create unsafe swimming conditions.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for toxin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toxin
Noun
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Everybody agrees that social media promotes poison.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Where’s the spike in poison control calls?—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In 2023, 20 steel mills and coke plants nationwide emitted nearly 2.4 million pounds of air toxics, 289,722 tons of criteria air pollutants and 43.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, according to the study.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
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Is there any hope of finding a way to take the toxic and turn it into a net positive?—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The smallest, what are called ultrafine particles, even slip through the alveolar capillary barrier itself, crossing into the bloodstream, and from there travel throughout the body, including to the heart, the brain, and the kidneys to initiate even more destruction and disease (see below).—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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But the shot has been a life-saving public health intervention against the disease, which can lead to severe health problems, including liver cancer and failure, and death.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Victims of a snake bite are advised not to try to remove the venom themselves or to tie off the bite area.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Wolf spider bites are not poisonous and won't cause sores or body-wide symptoms from its venom.—
Carrie Madormo,
Health,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Toxin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toxin. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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