1. to poison; to contaminate or make toxic with poison
Usage: archaic or literary
2. to corrupt morally or spiritually; to make bitter or hostile
Usage: figurative

Examples

• The villain sought to empoison the well to harm the village.
• Jealousy began to empoison their once-close friendship.
• False rumors can empoison public opinion against an innocent person.
• The toxic waste threatened to empoison the entire water supply.
• Bitterness had empoisoned his heart after years of disappointment.
• She feared that scandal would empoison her family's reputation.