Meaning & use

toxin

noun·Academic

A poisonous substance, especially one produced by a living organism such as a bacterium, plant, or animal.

See it in a sentence

The snake's venom contains a toxin that can paralyze its prey within seconds.

Certain mushrooms produce a toxin that damages the liver if eaten.

A note on using this word

Technically refers to biologically produced poisons, though it is often used loosely for any harmful chemical.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “toxin”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.