Phrase guide

poison the well

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To preemptively raise ad hominem arguments in order to discredit someone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: taint the well

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see poison, the, well.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

First used figuratively by Catholic philosopher and Doctor of the Church John Henry Newman in his work Apologia Pro Vita Sua (1864), evidently in reference to the wartime tactic of well poisoning.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 扣帽子 (kòumàozi) — raise ad hominem arguments
  • Finnish: myrkyttää kaivo — raise ad hominem arguments
  • French: empoisonner le puits — raise ad hominem arguments
  • Hebrew: הרעיל את הבאר — raise ad hominem arguments
  • Norwegian: brønnpissing — raise ad hominem arguments
  • Polish: argumentować niemerytorycznie — raise ad hominem arguments