poison

1 of 3

noun

poi·​son ˈpȯi-zᵊn How to pronounce poison (audio)
1
a
: a substance that through its chemical action usually kills, injures, or impairs an organism
b(1)
: something destructive or harmful
(2)
: an object of aversion or abhorrence
2
: a substance that inhibits the activity of another substance or the course of a reaction or process
a catalyst poison

poison

2 of 3

verb

poisoned; poisoning ˈpȯiz-niŋ How to pronounce poison (audio)
ˈpȯi-zᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1
a
: to injure or kill with poison
b
: to treat, taint, or impregnate with or as if with poison
2
: to exert a baneful influence on : corrupt
poisoned their minds
3
: to inhibit the activity, course, or occurrence of
on the night when he poisoned my restCharles Dickens
poisoner
ˈpȯiz-nər How to pronounce poison (audio)
ˈpȯi-zᵊn-ər
noun

poison

3 of 3

adjective

1
: poisonous, venomous
a poison plant
a poison tongue
2
: impregnated with poison : poisoned
a poison arrow

Examples of poison in a Sentence

Noun a jar of rat poison The killer gave her victims food laced with poison. suck poison from a snake bite The villain in the play dies by drinking a vial of poison. Poverty is a poison to society. Verb How did the murderer poison the victim? Hundreds were poisoned from drinking the contaminated water. He was poisoned with cyanide. The factory poisoned the air with its fumes. Illegal dumping of waste is poisoning the stream and killing fish. He poisoned their minds with hatred for her. His angry outburst poisoned the atmosphere of the party. Adjective the witch gave Snow White a poison apple
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Perspective Carolyn Hax: Navigating her mom’s careless nature Perspective Carolyn Hax: A strikingly petty father poisons the whole family Perspective Carolyn Hax: Why can’t my family be close like others? Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2024 But in 2015, plant toxicology experts from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew told a coroner’s court that traces of a rare plant poison – gelsemium – were found in his stomach. Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, 16 Feb. 2024 After the president’s death, rumors began to circulate that the shooter had dipped the bullet in poison. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Feb. 2024 While there's plenty of those in New York, some feared that Flaco would accidentally consume rat poison. Juliana Kim, NPR, 24 Feb. 2024 Their days are taken up with shooting practice, lobster racing, pelting men with fruit, and slipping poison into unattended cups of tea. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024 Falsehood in all its forms is poison to an honest person. Bruce Weinstein, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 While packing up my father's estate, I was overcome with an urgent desire to flush the poison of the previous three years from my cells. Chloe Bottero, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024 In 2020, Trump refused to condemn Putin or Russia after a poison attack nearly killed Navalny. David Jackson, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024
Verb
Navalny returned to Russia in 2021, after spending months recovering in Germany from Novichok poisoning a Bellingcat-CNN investigation found was carried about by Russian intelligence. Matthew Chance, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 The music video directed by Patricia Alfonso and Chris Cabrera, and produced by Eat My Shorts, finds all four artists serving as the trusted henchman of a female mafia leader who poisons all of her male lovers in her lavish mansion. Ingrid Fajardo, Billboard, 1 Mar. 2024 The objective of the training was to increase the knowledge of health care providers in lead poisoning management and prevention and to empower them as facilitators and trainers in their respective districts. Unicef Usa, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Records show one auditor gave the applesauce maker an A+ safety rating in December, as American children were being poisoned. Will Fitzgibbon, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 There are hundreds more political prisoners languishing in his jails, including Vladimir Kara-Murza (who has been poisoned twice) and the Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich. David Remnick, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2024 Kouri's lawyer, Skye Lazaro, says that aside from an assertion from the family, there is no evidence to corroborate the claim that Eric was poisoned. Emma Steele, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2024 From politicians to militia leaders, many who cross Putin end up dead — often poisoned or blown up in airplanes or by car bombs. Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 Because lead poisoning is 100% preventable, said Kim Buechler, director and health officer at the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department, the department started a lead poisoning awareness campaign to educate the community. Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Behavior and reproduction Most frogs are nocturnal, but not poison frogs. National Geographic, 28 Feb. 2020 Some farmers even intentionally poison cranes to stop them from foraging in their crops. National Geographic, 10 Feb. 2020 Field biologist Andrius Pašukonis, who researches poison frog homing behavior in the wild and was not involved in this study, is excited about the results and hopes to see more work done on these and other species. Geetha Iyer, National Geographic, 25 July 2019 Ken said, battling through the foliage before realizing most of it was poison ivy. Elisabeth Egan, chicagotribune.com, 10 June 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'poison.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French poisun drink, potion, poison, from Latin potion-, potio drink — more at potion

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of poison was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near poison

Cite this Entry

“Poison.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poison. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

poison

1 of 3 noun
poi·​son ˈpȯiz-ən How to pronounce poison (audio)
1
: a substance that by its chemical action can kill or injure a living thing
2
: something destructive or harmful

poison

2 of 3 verb
poisoned; poisoning ˈpȯiz-niŋ How to pronounce poison (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
a
: to injure or kill with poison
b
: to put poison in or on
poisoned the air with its fumes
2
: to exert a harmful influence on : corrupt
poisoned their minds
poisoner
ˈpȯiz-nər How to pronounce poison (audio)
-ᵊn-ər
noun

poison

3 of 3 adjective
: poisonous
a poison plant
Etymology

Noun

Middle English poison "poison, a poisonous drink," from early French poison "drink, potion, poison," from Latin potion-, potio "a drink, potion" — related to potion

Medical Definition

poison

1 of 3 noun
poi·​son ˈpȯiz-ᵊn How to pronounce poison (audio)
1
: a substance that through its chemical action usually kills, injures, or impairs an organism
2
: a substance that inhibits the activity of another substance or the course of a reaction or process
a catalyst poison

poison

2 of 3 transitive verb
poisoned; poisoning ˈpȯiz-niŋ, -ᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce poison (audio)
1
: to injure or kill with poison
2
: to treat, taint, or impregnate with poison

poison

3 of 3 adjective
1
: poisonous
a poison plant
2
: impregnated with poison
a poison arrow

More from Merriam-Webster on poison

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