poisoning
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of poisoning
First recorded in 1400–50, poisoning is from the late Middle English word poisenynge. See poison, -ing 1
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.
California officials warn Northern and Central Coast residents against foraging for mushrooms amid poisoning outbreak.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Instead of poisoning termites in a broad, fast acting way, it prevents them from making the chitin they need for their next protective shell.
From Science Daily • May 9, 2026
Relentless predator control—through poisoning, trapping and shooting, and high mesh fences that can hold back everything from a baby mouse to a pig—are the only hope for continued nesting of native seabirds on the islands.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
It rose for every category except infant formula, where Nestlé recalled some products in January due to concerns they contained a toxin that can cause food poisoning.
From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026
Were those naive villagers collecting every type of seed plant that they found, bringing it home, poisoning themselves on most of the species, and nourishing themselves from only a few species?
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
![]()
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.