as in poisons
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 toxins
They are now displaced, even though their home survived because of the toxins that rendered their home unlivable.
—
Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 20 May 2026
For Cleansing and Detoxing Cleanses and detoxes operate on the belief that toxins can build up in your body and be removed with certain dietary changes, such as drinking olive oil and lemon juice.
—Michelle Pugle, Verywell Health, 19 May 2026
Health officials warn that cooking, boiling, freezing or drying wild mushrooms does not neutralize toxins.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 16 May 2026
Experts suspect that the toxins of lilies are quickly absorbed into the cat’s bloodstream and damage the epithelial cells of the renal tubules, which are the long, narrow tubes of nephrons, the structural and functional units of kidneys.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
This electrical signal also appears to help activate the body's immune response — without adding new toxins into the body, like chemotherapies do.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 12 May 2026
It’s been around for generations, and so has the idea that flushing the colon can remove toxins and residue.
—Erica Sweeney, Time, 11 May 2026
Dirt sampled from East Potomac tested positive for lead, mercury, chloroform, and other toxins, NPS concluded in a recent report.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 May 2026
And while the law largely governs toxins, the rollback has also undermined action on climate change, including repealing the legal theory used to classify greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide as regulated pollutants.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 8 May 2026
Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 20 May 2026
For Cleansing and Detoxing Cleanses and detoxes operate on the belief that toxins can build up in your body and be removed with certain dietary changes, such as drinking olive oil and lemon juice.
—Michelle Pugle, Verywell Health, 19 May 2026
Health officials warn that cooking, boiling, freezing or drying wild mushrooms does not neutralize toxins.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 16 May 2026
Experts suspect that the toxins of lilies are quickly absorbed into the cat’s bloodstream and damage the epithelial cells of the renal tubules, which are the long, narrow tubes of nephrons, the structural and functional units of kidneys.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 May 2026
This electrical signal also appears to help activate the body's immune response — without adding new toxins into the body, like chemotherapies do.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 12 May 2026
It’s been around for generations, and so has the idea that flushing the colon can remove toxins and residue.
—Erica Sweeney, Time, 11 May 2026
Dirt sampled from East Potomac tested positive for lead, mercury, chloroform, and other toxins, NPS concluded in a recent report.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 May 2026
And while the law largely governs toxins, the rollback has also undermined action on climate change, including repealing the legal theory used to classify greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide as regulated pollutants.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toxins
Noun
-
Many gardeners and homeowners prefer not to use poisons to get rid of ants, leading them to consider more natural remedies.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 May 2026
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People shouldn’t use poisons, which could hurt other wildlife, pets and kids.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
11 May 2026
Noun
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Manufacturers should be diligently working to clean up their supply chains and manufacturing practices to ensure their products are free of PFAS and other toxics.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
1 May 2026
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The Michigan Legislature passed a law in 2008 meant to protect the public from harmful electronic waste toxics.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Potatoes are highly susceptible to pests like the Colorado potato beetle and diseases like late blight that caused the Irish potato famine.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
23 May 2026
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According to the Cleveland Clinic, a stem cell transplant can treat — and sometimes cure — certain blood disorders, cancers and autoimmune diseases by replacing unhealthy stem cells with healthy ones, either from the patient's own bone marrow or donated stem cells from another person.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
Noun
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Natural products inspired by organisms include GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight loss, spider and snake venoms, and compounds from plants and fungi with potential uses in pain relief and cancer treatment.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
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Toxins in many animal venoms, for example, are peptides.—
Dominique Mosbergen,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Toxins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toxins. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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