cancerous
/'kænsərəs/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Relating to or affected by cancer: Describes something that is characterized by or involves the disease cancer.
- Resembling cancer in its harmful growth or spread: Used metaphorically to describe something evil, corrupt, or destructive that grows and spreads in a harmful way.
Usage and Examples
Literal Medical Usage:
- The biopsy confirmed the tumor was cancerous.
- She underwent surgery to remove the cancerous tissue.
Metaphorical Usage:
- Hatred can be a cancerous emotion, spreading through a community.
- The cancerous corruption within the organization eventually led to its collapse.
Advanced Usage
- "cancerous growth": A literal term for a tumor or mass of cells that is malignant.
- Doctors are monitoring the cancerous growth closely.
- "cancerous to": A metaphorical structure indicating something is destructive or harmful to a system, idea, or moral state.
- Such lies are cancerous to the trust in a relationship.
Variants and Related Words
- Cancer (n): The disease characterized by the uncontrolled division of abnormal cells.
- He was diagnosed with lung cancer.
- Carcinogenic (adj): Having the potential to cause cancer.
- Asbestos is a carcinogenic material.
Synonyms
- Malignant: (In medicine) tending to become progressively worse and potentially result in death; (more generally) very harmful.
- Corrosive: Tending to cause corrosion or gradual destruction; can be used metaphorically.
- Virulent: Extremely severe or harmful in its effects; can describe a disease or a feeling/action.
Antonyms
- Benign: (In medicine) not harmful in effect; (generally) gentle and kindly.
- Healthy: In a good physical or mental condition; not diseased.
- Wholesome: Conducive to or suggestive of good health and physical well-being; morally beneficial.
Adjective
- like a cancer; an evil that grows and spreads
- remorse was cancerous within him
- pornography is cancerous to the moral development of our children
- relating to or affected with cancer
- a cancerous growth