What does "poison" mean?
A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism when ingested.
Poison
/ˈpɔɪ.zən/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism when ingested.
- Grammar: poison is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: poisonous substance, toxicant, abomination, abuse.
- Useful contrasts: platinum catalyst, ambrosia, antido.
- Usage evidence: If your child drinks poison, rush him to the hospital.
How to use "poison"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "poison" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "poison" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "poison" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "poison" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "poison" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "poisonous substance" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "poison", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism when ingested. countable, uncountable
"Near-synonym: (loosely) venom"
- 2 anything that harms or destroys wordnet
- 3 Anything harmful to a person or thing. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"Gossip is a malicious poison."
- 4 any substance that causes injury or illness or death of a living organism wordnet
- 5 An alcoholic drink. (Mainly in the phrases "name your poison" and "what's your poison?") countable, idiomatic, informal, uncountable
"— What's your poison? — I'll have a glass of whiskey."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Any substance that inhibits catalytic activity. countable, uncountable
"The temperature effect of poisons. The influence of poison on the catalyst can be different with the change of reaction conditions."
Verb
- 1 To use poison to kill or paralyse (somebody). transitive
"The assassin poisoned the king."
- 2 administer poison to wordnet
- 3 To pollute; to cause to become poisonous. transitive
"That factory is poisoning the river."
- 4 add poison to wordnet
- 5 To cause to become much worse. transitive
"Suspicion will poison their relationship."
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 kill with poison wordnet
- 7 To cause (someone) to hate or to have unfair negative opinions. transitive
"She's poisoned him against all his old friends."
- 8 kill by its poison wordnet
- 9 To inhibit the catalytic activity of.
- 10 spoil as if by poison wordnet
- 11 To place false or malicious data into (a cache, etc.) as part of an exploit. transitive
"In this technique, the hacker poisons the cache to launch malware into Web pages."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"If your child drinks poison, rush him to the hospital."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "poison"?
Common synonyms include: poisonous substance, toxicant, abomination, abuse, acaricide, aconite.
How do you use "poison" in a sentence?
If your child drinks poison, rush him to the hospital.
How do you pronounce "poison"?
Pronounced /ˈpɔɪ.zən/.
Etymology
From Middle English poysoun, poyson, pusoun, from Old French poison, poisun, from Latin pōtiōnem (“drink, a draught, a poisonous draught, a potion”), from pōtō (“I drink”). See also potion and potable (from the same root). Mostly displaced native Old English ātor. See more at atter.