venomous
Americanadjective
-
(of an animal) having a gland or glands for secreting venom; able to inflict a poisoned bite, sting, or wound.
a venomous snake.
-
full of or containing venom; poisonous.
a venomous wound; a venomous potion.
-
spiteful; malignant.
a venomous attack; a venomous tongue.
- Synonyms:
- ill-disposed, rancorous, hostile, malicious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of venomous
1250–1300; Middle English venim ( o ) us < Anglo-French venimus ( Old French venimeux ). See venom, -ous
Compare meaning
How does venomous compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An animal that is venomous produces poison. Also, people act in a venomous way when they are cruel, evil, or deliberately harmful. Both senses of venomous have to do with poison. The first meaning is literal: if a venomous snake bites you, you could die. Venomous animals are extremely dangerous, and their bite requires immediate medical attention. For people, being venomous is a little different. Spreading lies is venomous. Stealing someone's significant other is venomous. Anytime someone is being destructive on purpose, it's venomous. For people, venomous means something close to villainous — being venomous is like spreading metaphorical poison.
Vocabulary lists containing venomous
A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Unit 4: Powerful Openings
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"The Diary of a Young Girl," Vocabulary from the diary
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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.
Venomous snakes bite about 5,000 people a year in Colombia; between 20 and 40 of those bitten die from their injuries.
From Scientific American • Sep. 23, 2023
Venomous was pretty much the default tone for anything the paper’s publisher, Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, didn’t happen to like.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2022
Venomous, beautiful lionfish, native to the Pacific and Indian oceans, are wreaking havoc on Caribbean reef habitats.
From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2022
Old book title: “The Thanatophidia of India. Being a description of the Venomous Snakes of the Indian Peninsula.”
From Washington Post • Jul. 15, 2021
Venomous creatures appeared to have been especially interesting to him, and he even fancied a poisonous influence in the Roman sunshine.
From Sketches from Concord and Appledore by Stearns, Frank Preston
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.
