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

Other Word Forms

• noxiously adverb
• noxiousness 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

The deeper reasons, however, were profoundly anti-democratic — the noxious intransigence of patriarchy and white supremacy in Western culture, which drastically narrowed the eligible land-owning class.

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Residents say the noxious riot control gases released by federal agents travels through the building's ventilation.

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The activists worry the line will harm birds and that construction and maintenance crews driving through the transmission line corridor will carry in noxious weeds and invasive species.

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A 76-year-old man was arrested at a nearby pub on Monday evening on suspicion of administering poison or a noxious substance with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy and he remains in custody.

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The arrested man was detained on suspicion of administering poison or a noxious thing with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy.

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Related Words

• corrupting www.thesaurus.com
• destructive 
• fetid 
• harmful 
• pernicious 
• poisonous 
• putrid 
• toxic 
• unhealthy 
• virulent