RNA
noun
: any of various nucleic acids that contain ribose and uracil as structural components and are associated with the control of cellular chemical activities compare messenger rna, ribosomal rna, transfer rna
Examples of RNA in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Postmortem testing did find rabies virus RNA in the man.
—
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Wave Life Sciences has surged 50% this year, adding 147% alone on Monday after announcing positive interim data from a Phase 1 trial of an RNA obesity shot which helped cut fat without muscle loss.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2025
For life on Earth, the sugars deoxyribose – which the researchers did not detect – and ribose are key building blocks of DNA and RNA, respectively.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
The kits that the team used to extract the genetic material from the microbes were designed to collect DNA, so that meant the researchers captured primarily bacteria—not viruses, many of which have RNA as their genetic base (such as COVID-19 and influenza).
—Alice Park, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
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Paula Wethington, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025
Wave Life Sciences has surged 50% this year, adding 147% alone on Monday after announcing positive interim data from a Phase 1 trial of an RNA obesity shot which helped cut fat without muscle loss.
—Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2025
For life on Earth, the sugars deoxyribose – which the researchers did not detect – and ribose are key building blocks of DNA and RNA, respectively.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
The kits that the team used to extract the genetic material from the microbes were designed to collect DNA, so that meant the researchers captured primarily bacteria—not viruses, many of which have RNA as their genetic base (such as COVID-19 and influenza).
—Alice Park, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for RNA
Cite this Entry
“RNA.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/RNA. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.
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RNA
noun
: any of various nucleic acids that are typically found in the cytoplasm of cells, are usually composed of a single chain of nucleotides, differ from DNA in containing ribose as the five-carbon sugar instead of deoxyribose, and that function mostly in protein synthesis
called also ribonucleic acid
compare messenger rna, ribosomal rna, transfer rnaMedical Definition
RNA
noun
: any of various nucleic acids that contain ribose and uracil as structural components and are associated with the control of cellular chemical activities
called also ribonucleic acid
see messenger rna, ribosomal rna, transfer rnaLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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