Poisonous vs Venomous
Published January 25, 2023. Updated January 25, 2023.
Poisonous and venomous are similar words that have slightly different meanings. Poisonous means harmful in a general sense—not necessarily referring to poison. On the other hand, venomous primarily refers to literal venom. It can also be used to refer to a person’s attitude.
Here are some definitions and examples to help clarify the meaning of these words.
Poisonous (adjective)
Harmful
Examples:
He knew the scandal would be poisonous to his campaign.
The fumes were poisonous if inhaled in large quantities.
The poisonous frog was recognizable by its bright colors.
In the first example, poisonous does not refer to literal poison but to something that is harmful. In the second example, poisonous does refer to something—fumes—that can act as poison. In the third example, poisonous is synonymous to venomous, which means containing venom.
Venomous (adjective)
Containing venom; Spiteful
Examples:
The bite of a venomous snake can be lethal if not treated quickly.
Her venomous tone was frightening.
In the first example, venomous refers to literal venom produced by a snake. In the second example, venomous is used to mean spiteful.
Main Points
- Poisonous means harmful in a general sense—not necessarily referring to poison.
- Venomous primarily refers to something containing literal venom.
- Venomous can also be used to refer to a person’s attitude.
- Remember that venomous is most often used in a literal sense for things that actually contain or use venom, whereas poisonous can be used to describe anything that is harmful in nature.