CANKER Synonyms: 133 Similar and Opposite Words

canker 1 of 2

verb

Definition of canker

as in to poison

to lower in character, dignity, or quality such shameless ambulance chasing cankers the legal profession

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canker

2 of 2

noun

as in rot

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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 canker

Noun

This damages the trunk and leaves an ugly, elongated canker that invites insects and stresses the tree, leading to stunted growth, sparse foliage, and stem dieback. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2026 Even the most superb body begins to diminish in a person’s early 30s, thanks to the onset of sarcopenia, which sounds like a canker but means the incremental decline of muscle mass. — Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025 Monitor for Pests and Disease Healthy plants are better at surviving heat stress than plants that are already weakened, so keep an eye on your tomato plants throughout the growing season for common pests, like tomato hornworm, and diseases, such as early or late blight, white mold, and canker. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 30 May 2026 Bacterial plant diseases include speck (a winter-surviving infection that attacks tomatoes), canker (which damages fruit trees including those producing apples and peaches), and blight (which rots melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, beans, and more). — New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for canker

Recent Examples of Synonyms for canker

Verb

The special bond between Supergirl and her scruffy animal sidekick becomes a key plot point in Kara’s new solo movie, where Krypto is poisoned by space outlaw Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).

— Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Kara Zor-El (Alcock) goes on a planet-hopping mission to save her beloved Krypto – with young and vengeful girl Ruthye (Eve Ridley) in tow – after he’s poisoned by the villainous Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 June 2026

Definition of poison

Noun

Areas with heavy rain, snow, or high humidity are more prone to wood rot, mildew, and moisture absorption, often requiring restaining every one to two years.

— Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026
To me, generative AI feels less like innovation than a symptom of a broader cultural and economic rot.

— Reid Litman, Fortune, 5 July 2026

Definition of rot

Verb

Forgetting his bond with the land, Mariano awakens the Ch’iqmi, a dark force that corrupts his people.

— Kevin Giraud, Variety, 25 June 2026
Lander has argued Goldman, the multimillionaire heir to the Levi jeans fortune, embodies establishment, corporate interests that corrupt the Democratic Party.

— Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 23 June 2026

Definition of corrupt

Noun

The aisles were so choked that blooms and branches brushed against us, the air heady with the scent of lilies, roses, eucalyptus, and sweet decay.

— Adam Erace, Travel + Leisure, 2 July 2026
The physical properties of TRISO fuel and gas cooling allow the core to dissipate residual decay heat naturally.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026

Definition of decay

Verb

When temperatures rise, heat can quietly degrade pantry staples, making refrigeration essential to preserve quality and flavor.

— Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 1 July 2026
If leaders are not present and actively developing people, the system degrades—quietly at first, then all at once.

— Brian Coyne, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Definition of degrade

Noun

Various types of cancer, in which malignant tumors invade surrounding tissues, contributed to between 13,000 and 20,000 deaths annually in this time frame.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
After-School All- Stars in New York, MSK Kids, the pediatric cancer program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Children & Teen and Adolescents & Young Adult (AYA) Programs, and Hassenfeld Children’s Hosipal at NYU Langone.

— Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2026

Definition of cancer

Verb

They can also be used for de-aging characters, creating performances in different languages, or preserving the voice or likeness of an actor whose health is deteriorating, as was the case with CAA client Eric Dane.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026
Though concrete is a durable surface, concrete driveway repair is needed when the surface deteriorates and develops cracks over the years.

— Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026

Definition of deteriorate

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canisters

canker

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“Canker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canker. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of canker

verb

noun

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