viral

adjective vi·ral \ ˈvī-rəl \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Definition of viral

1 : of, relating to, or caused by a virus

a viral infection

2 : quickly and widely spread or popularized especially by means of social media

a viral video

—

virally

play \ˈvī-rə-lē\ adverb

See viral defined for English-language learners

See viral defined for kids

Recent Examples of viral from the Web

In the now-viral photo, Warren, the first Gerber baby to have Down syndrome, can be seen smiling happily from his seat on Cook’s lap.

— meghan overdeep, Southern Living, "WATCH: This Epic Gerber Baby Meet Up Nearly Broke the Internet," 8 June 2018
Bourdain, who died Friday at the age of 61, left a lasting impression on Hagerty, who met him once in New York City after her viral article.

— mahita gajanan, Time, "Viral Olive Garden Reviewer on Her Special Bond With Anthony Bourdain After He Came to Her Defense: 'He Was Nothing But Kind'," 8 June 2018
One day after her audition aired on The Four, the one-time viral video star is receiving plenty of love on social media for her surprise appearance.

— melody chiu, PEOPLE.com, "See Rebecca Black's Surprise Audition on The Four 7 Years After Releasing Her Viral Hit 'Friday'," 8 June 2018
Latino activists characterized the viral spread as reaction to Trump rhetoric — but in an unexpected way.

— michael kiefer, azcentral, "Trump talk of separating kids from parents at border makes old news go viral," 8 June 2018
This was after his viral mugshot had catapulted him into fame and the fashion world.

— gabriella paiella, The Cut, "The ‘Hot Felon’ Has Welcomed a New Baby," 7 June 2018
Instagram also serves as a viral-inducing platform for kids with visual flair.

— brett molina, USA TODAY, "My kid is famous: How viral stars' parents juggle fame, business deals and hordes of fans," 7 June 2018
Measles is a highly infectious -- and potentially fatal -- viral illness that is typically spread by breathing or coughing.

— mark lieber, CNN, "Measles vaccine recommended for those attending World Cup," 6 June 2018
Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie confirmed the threats, saying the players and the coach wanted to cancel the game, having been influenced by viral social media campaigns, threats, and bloodied Argentinian team shirts used during protests.

— Jewish Journal, "Argentina cancels soccer match with Israel after death threats," 6 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'viral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of viral

1937

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

VIRAL Defined for English Language Learners

viral

adjective

Definition of viral for English Language Learners

: caused by a virus
: spreading very quickly to many people especially through the Internet

Medical Dictionary

viral

adjective vi·ral \ ˈvī-rəl \

medical Definition of viral

: of, relating to, or caused by a virus

viral infections

—

virally

play \-rə-lē\ adverb

Learn More about viral

See words that rhyme with viral Spanish Central: Translation of viral Nglish: Translation of viral for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of viral for Arabic speakers

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viral

Definition of viral

virally

Recent Examples of viral from the Web

First Known Use of viral

Other Medicine Terms

VIRAL Defined for English Language Learners

viral

Definition of viral for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

viral

medical Definition of viral

virally

Learn More about viral

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Definition of viral

virally

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First Known Use of viral

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VIRAL Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of viral for English Language Learners

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viral

medical Definition of viral

virally

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