viral

adjective

vi·ral | \ˈvī-rəl

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

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Examples of viral in a Sentence

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Croup is usually caused by a viral infection, like parainfluenza virus, which can also cause laryngitis in adults, Gina Posner, M.D., a pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., tells SELF. — Korin Miller, SELF, "HGTV's Tarek and Christina El Moussa's Son Was Hospitalized for Croup," 16 Oct. 2018 Although the cause remains a mystery, researchers suspect that AFM may be triggered by certain viral infections. — Betsy Mckay, WSJ, "Cases of Rare Neurological Condition Rise in U.S.," 16 Oct. 2018 The viral infection is spread through barking, coughing, and sneezing when pets are in close contact with infected animals. — Jessica Leigh Mattern, Country Living, "The Dog Flu Is Spreading Across the Country for the First Time In Years," 16 Aug. 2018 See, bacteria are under constant assault from viruses and produce enzymes to fight off viral infections. — Brad Plumer, Vox, "A simple guide to CRISPR, one of the biggest science stories of the decade," 23 July 2018 Like other cells, bacteria often find themselves victims of viral infections, dying as new viruses burst out to infect their neighbors. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Using a virus to kill what antibiotics can’t," 18 July 2018 One study, published in the U.S. journal Environmental Health Perspectives, showed that even small amounts of the chemicals made the algae in coral susceptible to viral infection. — Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, "Hawaii to ban sunscreen that damages coral," 7 July 2018 The bat’s unique approach to viral infection could also explain why viruses that transfer from bats to humans, including Ebola, are so severe. — Lucy Cooke, Washington Post, "The batty, explosive history of bats in the military — and why this new idea just might work," 2 July 2018 Since mono is a viral infection, antibiotics are not necessary and should be stopped. — New York Times, "My Daughter Has Mono. Is the Whole Family at Risk?," 29 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.