COVID-19
noun
variants
or COVID
or Covid
or Covid-19
or less commonly covid
or covid-19
1
: a mild to severe respiratory illness that is caused by a coronavirus (Betacoronavirus pandemicum), is transmitted chiefly by contact with infectious material (such as respiratory droplets), and is characterized especially by fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, and shortness of breath and may progress to pneumonia and respiratory failure
Note: While fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, and shortness of breath are common symptoms of COVID-19, other symptoms may include fatigue, chills, body aches, headache, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
Individuals with compromised immune systems, whether because of immunodeficiency or immunosuppressive therapy, are among those most susceptible to COVID-19.—
Edward P. K. Parker et al.
Edward P. K. Parker et al.Many people who get tested regularly for COVID-19 … test positive despite reporting no symptoms at all. But such asymptomatic infections, which can also occur with other kinds of viruses, are difficult to track, since you may never know if you had one.—Danielle Echeverria
Danielle EcheverriaBut, now more than ever, we must remember that COVID is not just a personal threat but a community one. For older and immunocompromised people, the risks are still significant. For example, people over 50 account for 93 percent of COVID-related deaths in the U.S. …—Yasmin Tayag
Yasmin TayagThe federal government dramatically expanded the role that pharmacies play in U.S. health care, positioning them at the center of the national vaccination campaign against Covid. Two out of every 3 Covid shots have been administered by pharmacies … according to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.—Spencer Kimball
Spencer KimballAfter the Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends, cases of Covid-19 surged around the country after people held family gatherings or congregated in large groups.—Tara Parker-Pope
Tara Parker-Popecalled also coronavirus, coronavirus disease, coronavirus disease 2019, CV-19, CV19
see long covid2
: the strain of the coronavirus (Betacoronavirus pandemicum) that causes COVID-19 : sars-cov-2
The goal of the vaccine is to trick cells to produce antibodies against COVID-19's surface protein, thereby eliminating the virus with the body's own immune system.—Miriam Fauzia
Miriam FauziaA weak immune system enables COVID-19 to remain in the body longer, copy itself and continually change in ways that flout existing treatment …—Dennis Thompson
Dennis ThompsonExamples of COVID-19 in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since the nineteen-seventies, Dube points out, the only periods in which the earnings of low- and middle-income workers saw notable growth were the late nineteen-nineties and (setting aside the COVID-19 pandemic) the years from 2018 to 2024.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
That number fell significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person services were limited.
—Mary Ramsey
april 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
Dangerous Man Brewing closed its own taproom in 2023, with owners at the time citing financial hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Conor Wight, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
However, in his final months, Queen Elizabeth II relocated from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle amid COVID-19 lockdowns and asked Philip to join her.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Apr. 2026
William also revealed during the couple’s first full royal engagement by video call in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that the holiday typically involves plenty of sweets in their household.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Donors should be in good health with no cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Many companies and public agencies adopted liberal work-from-home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, although those policies have been largely rescinded to one degree or another.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
That figure marks a significant drop from a recent peak attained in 2023, but borrowing costs remain well above a 0% rate established at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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John Cassidy, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
That number fell significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person services were limited.
—Mary Ramsey
april 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
Dangerous Man Brewing closed its own taproom in 2023, with owners at the time citing financial hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Conor Wight, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
However, in his final months, Queen Elizabeth II relocated from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle amid COVID-19 lockdowns and asked Philip to join her.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Apr. 2026
William also revealed during the couple’s first full royal engagement by video call in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that the holiday typically involves plenty of sweets in their household.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Donors should be in good health with no cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms.
—Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Many companies and public agencies adopted liberal work-from-home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, although those policies have been largely rescinded to one degree or another.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
That figure marks a significant drop from a recent peak attained in 2023, but borrowing costs remain well above a 0% rate established at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“COVID-19.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/COVID-19. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
COVID-19
noun
variants
also COVID
ˈkō-vid
: a mild to serious illness that is caused by a coronavirus and is marked especially by fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, and shortness of breath
Medical Definition
COVID-19
noun
variants
or COVID
or Covid
or Covid-19
also covid
or covid-19
1
: a mild to severe respiratory illness that is caused by a coronavirus (Betacoronavirus pandemicum), is transmitted chiefly by contact with infectious material (such as respiratory droplets), and is characterized especially by fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, and shortness of breath and may progress to pneumonia and respiratory failure
Note: While fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, and shortness of breath are common symptoms of COVID-19, other symptoms may include fatigue, chills, body aches, headache, sore throat, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in December 2019.
Individuals with compromised immune systems, whether because of immunodeficiency or immunosuppressive therapy, are among those most susceptible to COVID-19.—Edward P. K. Parker et al., The Lancet Global Health
Edward P. K. Parker et al., The Lancet Global HealthNon-pharmaceutical measures including physical distancing, proper use of masks, … and quarantines have been imposed to delay the spread of Covid-19.—Ikbel Hadj Hassine, Reviews in Medical Virology
Ikbel Hadj Hassine, Reviews in Medical VirologyThe prevalence of COVID-19 in children is low (between 0.8% and 3.3%) and most children only display mild physical symptoms or are asymptomatic.—Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer et al., European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer et al., European Child & Adolescent Psychiatrycalled also coronavirus, coronavirus disease, coronavirus disease 2019, CV-19, CV19
see long covid2
: the strain of the coronavirus (Betacoronavirus pandemicum) that causes COVID-19 : sars-cov-2
Over the past 10 to 20 years, we have developed a series of technologies that are designed to make antibodies against many disease targets, including viruses. These technologies were used by our scientists to develop a cocktail of three antibodies to bind and block the GP [=glycoprotein] protein of Ebola. … And now we have used the same technologies to rapidly make an antibody cocktail … that binds and blocks the spike protein of Covid-19.—George Yancopoulos, The New York Times
George Yancopoulos, The New York TimesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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