as in poisoned
containing or contaminated with a substance capable of injuring or killing a living thing
some evil person was leaving out poisonous meat for neighborhood dogs to eat
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Recent Examples of poisonous
After Dutschke refused, the two men became embroiled in a years-long public feud that reached its peak in 2013 when Dutschke framed Curtis by sending poisonous letters to the president and other government officials.
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Emily Blackwood, People.com, 16 Dec. 2024
The outer rind should be as thin as an eggshell; if thicker, the fungus may be a poisonous earthball.
—Christine Rousselle, Fox News, 14 Dec. 2024
The bill also had money to make solvent the World Trade Center Health Program to treat the heroes and victims of 9/11 who were sickened by the poisonous air rising up from Ground Zero.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
In the wake of a global catastrophe where a poisonous cloud is killing everything alive, a group of family and friends gather for one last night of revelry.
—Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poisonous 
Emily Blackwood, People.com, 16 Dec. 2024
The outer rind should be as thin as an eggshell; if thicker, the fungus may be a poisonous earthball.
—Christine Rousselle, Fox News, 14 Dec. 2024
The bill also had money to make solvent the World Trade Center Health Program to treat the heroes and victims of 9/11 who were sickened by the poisonous air rising up from Ground Zero.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
In the wake of a global catastrophe where a poisonous cloud is killing everything alive, a group of family and friends gather for one last night of revelry.
—Huntley Woods, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poisonous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poisonous
Adjective
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Behavior and reproduction Most frogs are nocturnal, but not poison frogs.National Geographic, National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020
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Some farmers even intentionally poison cranes to stop them from foraging in their crops.National Geographic, National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2020
Adjective
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In a Texas border town wasteland, circa 2038, reading has been outlawed and a powerful big tech tycoon has forced all mothers to toil at a toxic fish cannery.Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2025
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Butler was open to signing such a deal early in the negotiating window, but his mindset changed when the extension wasn’t immediately offered by the Heat. Which side is to blame for this toxic situation?Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Giving 11 venomous snakes a chance to escape inside your office sounds risky, but one of the nation’s top rattlesnake experts did just that to prove a point.Mark Price, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2025
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Why This Matters According to the CDC, between 7,000 and 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the United States every year; deaths caused by snakebites are rare, and will occur in at least five of those cases.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near poisonous
Cite this Entry
“Poisonous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poisonous. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
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