[go: up one dir, main page]

Definition of noxiousnext
1
as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body mixing bleach and ammonia can cause noxious fumes that can seriously harm you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word noxious different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of noxious are baneful, deleterious, detrimental, and pernicious. While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind.

noxious chemical fumes

When is it sensible to use baneful instead of noxious?

The words baneful and noxious can be used in similar contexts, but baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying.

the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

When would deleterious be a good substitute for noxious?

In some situations, the words deleterious and noxious are roughly equivalent. However, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect.

a diet found to have deleterious effects

When could detrimental be used to replace noxious?

While the synonyms detrimental and noxious are close in meaning, detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified.

the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

When might pernicious be a better fit than noxious?

The meanings of pernicious and noxious largely overlap; however, pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of noxious In confidential reports submitted to NASA, flight crews describe being overwhelmed by noxious fumes — struggling to stay conscious, land planes safely, or simply breathe — part of a larger body of evidence suggesting that contaminated cabin air is a recurring threat. Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025 Here, much to the amazement of onlookers, sacrificial animals such as bulls would drop dead after breathing in noxious carbon dioxide fumes swirling up from below. Barry Neild, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025 In Olympia, Riefenstahl translates these noxious ideas to film, almost verbatim. Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 27 Oct. 2025 Posts with fancy charts can contain noxious misinformation. Nadav Ziv, Time, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for noxious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for noxious
Adjective
  • Anyone who may have eaten a poisonous mushroom is urged to seek medical help immediately.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Traces of plant toxins The chemical residues of this poisonous plant were found on 60,000-year-old quartz arrowheads.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Some harmful varieties closely resemble edible mushrooms, even to experienced foragers.
    Tim Fang, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • On each phone, the lock screen image was a photo of a child who died young due to the harmful effects of social media.
    Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The medical ordeals are traumatic and disgusting, but fascinating and full of the quirks of modern life.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Having snow, slush, and (eventually) water all over my floors was a disgusting feeling.
    Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano, The Spruce, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • They’re combined with a non-toxic, hypoallergenic down alternative filling, creating a plush and luxurious sleeping experience that’s designed for back, side, and stomach sleepers.
    Megan Schaltegger, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Many hominids went extinct during this period, and being able to consume alcohol without adverse and/or toxic effects would have conferred a survival advantage.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Pipes and sewers can be very dangerous for pets and wildlife and Roto-Rooter, with specialized equipment and personnel, has become a go-to call to save cats, dogs, turtles and more.
    Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Ole Miss has enough dangerous weapons in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy and wide receivers Harrison Wallace III, De’Zhaun Stribling and Deuce Alexander to make a tired defense pay.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Not because the moms themselves are toxic people, but because the dynamic shifts into an ugly place with mean-girl behavior.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Sure, coach Mike Tomlin's teams tend to win ugly games, but not in the playoffs — at least not lately.
    Austin Mock, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air.
    Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
  • Health professionals encourage people to use lean cuts of meat because most of the fat in animal products is unhealthful saturated fat, which can raise the risk of heart disease and cancer.
    Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 22 June 2024
Adjective
  • Public systems can be somewhat risk adverse.
    Grace Hase, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Nekrasov said adverse weather conditions also left parts of several other regions without power, including Chernihiv, Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zakarpattia.
    Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 8 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Noxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/noxious. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on noxious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!