toxic
Describes a person, relationship, or place that makes people feel very bad, unsafe, or unhealthy in their emotions for a long time.
Describes a person, relationship, environment, or pattern of behavior that causes serious emotional damage, stress, or dysfunction, especially over a long period of time.
Describes a substance that is like poison and can seriously hurt or kill people, animals, or plants.
Containing or being a substance that can seriously harm or kill a person, animal, or plant if it is swallowed, breathed in, or absorbed.
Describes a loan or other money product that has become very bad and can make a bank or company lose a lot of money.
Describes a financial asset, debt, or investment that has become so risky or low in value that it is likely to cause large losses or threaten an institution’s stability.
- Base: toxic
toxic asset
1Very risky financial asset
A loan or other financial product that has become so bad and risky that it may make a bank or investor lose a lot of money.
- The bank created a separate fund to hold its most toxic assets.
- During the crisis, many mortgage-backed securities turned into toxic assets.
- Governments debated whether to buy toxic assets to stabilize the financial system.
toxic chemicals
1Chemicals that are poisonous
Chemical substances that are poisonous and can seriously hurt or kill living things.
- The factory uses toxic chemicals in its production process.
- Experts are studying the long-term effects of these toxic chemicals on human health.
- Workers must wear special suits when handling toxic chemicals.
toxic culture
1Harmful group or company culture
The usual way people think and act in a group, company, or society that often hurts people or creates fear and unfair treatment.
- They are trying to change the toxic culture of overwork in the firm.
- A toxic culture in the team made new employees feel unwelcome.
- The report blamed the scandal on a toxic culture inside the organization.
toxic environment
1Emotionally harmful setting
A place or situation where people often feel stressed, afraid, or hurt because of how others act or because of very bad conditions.
- Growing up in a toxic environment can affect a child for life.
- Students complained that the school had become a toxic environment.
- She left the team because the constant drama created a toxic environment.
toxic masculinity
1Harmful traditional male norms
Parts of traditional ideas about how men should act that lead to harm, such as men hiding emotions, using violence, or controlling others.
- The documentary explores how toxic masculinity affects young boys at school.
- Many people are questioning old ideas that support toxic masculinity.
- Workshops were created to help men talk about emotions and move away from toxic masculinity.
toxic person
1Emotionally harmful person
Someone who often hurts other people emotionally, for example by lying, controlling, or always being negative.
- She decided to distance herself from toxic people in her life.
- Being a toxic person is often a pattern learned over many years.
- He didn’t realize how toxic a person he had become until his friends stopped calling.
toxic positivity
1Unhealthy forced positivity
When someone pushes people to be happy and positive all the time, and does not allow real sad or angry feelings, which can hurt people instead of helping them.
- Therapists warn that toxic positivity can make people feel guilty for normal sadness.
- Her constant toxic positivity made it hard to talk honestly about problems.
- The article explains the difference between healthy optimism and toxic positivity.
toxic relationship
1Emotionally harmful relationship
A close relationship that regularly makes one or both people feel bad, afraid, controlled, or hurt in their emotions.
- She stayed in a toxic relationship for years before she felt strong enough to leave.
- Therapy helped him understand the signs of a toxic relationship.
- They realized their marriage had become a toxic relationship and decided to separate.
toxic waste
1Poisonous industrial or chemical waste
Waste from factories or chemicals that is poisonous and can seriously harm people, animals, or the environment.
- The company was accused of dumping toxic waste into the ocean.
- Cleaning up the toxic waste site will cost millions of dollars.
- New laws strictly control how toxic waste is stored and transported.
toxic workplace
1Emotionally harmful work environment
A place of work where there is a lot of stress, bullying, fear, or unfair treatment, and people feel bad most of the time.
- He left what he called a toxic workplace after just six months.
- Signs of a toxic workplace include gossip, blame, and no trust in management.
- The new CEO is trying to turn the toxic workplace into a healthier environment.