noxious

[ nok-shuhs ]

adjective

1. harmful or injurious to health or physical well-being:

   noxious fumes.

   Synonyms: deleterious, detrimental, nocuous, unhealthy, unwholesome, hurtful

   Antonyms: harmless

2. morally harmful; corrupting; pernicious:

   a noxious plan to spread dissension.

   Synonyms: corruptive

   Antonyms: harmless

noxious

/ ˈnɒkʃəs /

adjective

1. poisonous or harmful
2. harmful to the mind or morals; corrupting

Derived Forms

• ˈnoxiousness, noun
• ˈnoxiously, adverb

Other Words From

• noxious·ly adverb
• noxious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of noxious¹

1605–15; < Latin noxius harmful, hurtful, injurious, equivalent to nox ( a ) harm, hurt, injury (akin to nocēre to do harm, inflict injury; innocent ) + -ius -ious

Word History and Origins

Origin of noxious¹

C17: from Latin noxius harmful, from noxa injury

Example Sentences

Eric Cantor was a noxious, cookie-cutter, U.S. Chamber, GOP hypocrite.

From The Daily Beast

The most noxious of these figures is New York University professor and Nation magazine contributor Stephen Cohen.

From The Daily Beast

When I got out of the car I was assailed by another of the noxious stinks that Lufkin is distinguished for.

From The Daily Beast

In that case, there was indeed a mistranslation, though the actual rendering was only slightly less noxious than the errant one.

From The Daily Beast

Only the advancement of liberal democracy could serve as an antidote to the noxious strains of Islamism emanating from the region.

From The Daily Beast

Others speak of vermin, noxious plants, or instances of uncleanliness.

From Project Gutenberg

The dictator Tubertus Posthumus gained a victory over the qui and Volsci, inconsiderable but noxious enemies of the commonwealth.

From Project Gutenberg

Hour after hour the big hole deepened until the Seabees ran into noxious gases.

From Project Gutenberg

The alien picked his way fastidiously through the noxious debris to the end of the long room.

From Project Gutenberg

I felt a shudder run through me at the mention of the noxious creature, and brought the gun to bear as we advanced.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• corrupting
• destructive
• fetid
• harmful
• pernicious
• poisonous
• putrid
• toxic
• unhealthy
• virulent