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
This genus is primarily known for its small but brightly colored amphibian species that are highly poisonous, most notably, the bright orange pumpkin toadlets, B. rotenbergae, B. ephippium and B. pitanga (more here).
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Grrlscientist, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Its most frightening aspect, though, is probably its poisonous bite.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
But social media and polarized politics are exposing it at industrial scale, fueled by a poisonous cocktail of bad actors, media illiteracy and plummeting trust in traditional news.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 19 Oct. 2024
Craddock writes this because it was variously believed that the spirit was medicinal (nope), poisonous (not especially) or hallucinogenic (not even close).
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poisonous 
Grrlscientist, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Its most frightening aspect, though, is probably its poisonous bite.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
But social media and polarized politics are exposing it at industrial scale, fueled by a poisonous cocktail of bad actors, media illiteracy and plummeting trust in traditional news.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 19 Oct. 2024
Craddock writes this because it was variously believed that the spirit was medicinal (nope), poisonous (not especially) or hallucinogenic (not even close).
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 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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The heavy ad load had a toxic effect on the TV ecosystem.Jonathan Bing, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
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Eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in December 2023 triggered toxic gas warnings, causing emergency managers to fear that the pollution would spread to the capital.Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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All sorts of animals that would horrify the average homeowner — like a four-foot-long venomous coral snake — were now his neighbors, which led to deeper reflections.Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 11 Nov. 2024
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This species is one of two venomous snakes found in New Jersey, according to the same source.Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 31 Aug. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near poisonous
Cite this Entry
“Poisonous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poisonous. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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