poisonous
Americanadjective
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full of or containing poison.
poisonous air; a poisonous substance.
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harmful; destructive.
poisonous to animals; poisonous rumors.
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deeply malicious; malevolent.
poisonous efforts.
adjective
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having the effects or qualities of a poison
-
capable of killing or inflicting injury; venomous
-
corruptive or malicious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of poisonous
Compare meaning
How does poisonous compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
What do arsenic, cyanide, and bleach all have in common? They're poisonous. In other words, if you ingest these poisonous chemicals, you will most likely die or become very ill. If something is poisonous, you'd better not eat, drink, inhale, or touch it: it will make you sick. Some poisonous materials can even kill you. Of course, this adjective is derived from the noun poison, which is a toxic substance. You can also calls things poisonous if they're harmful in less physical ways. Spreading lies about someone is poisonous. Betraying a friend is poisonous. What both kinds of poisonous things have in common is that they do damage.
Vocabulary lists containing poisonous
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Harmful, List 2
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-ious, -eous, -ous
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Poisonous mushrooms can be found anywhere, the release noted.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
She made her mark as a writer of children's literature, with her other works including Harry the Poisonous Centipede and I, Houdini.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2024
Q. Re: Poisonous secret: I think the letter writer should consider a small claims suit.
From Slate • Nov. 30, 2020
The US has attempted to pass similar legislation outlawing the use of BPA in all food containers, most recently with the introduction of the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2016.
From The Guardian • Jan. 22, 2017
Poisonous smoke and sinkholes and boiling geysers and terrible dangers every which way.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
