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
Examples of viral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That's right: The viral Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm is 35% off for Cyber Monday.
—
Sarah Han, Allure, 27 Nov. 2023
Moncler, a label born 71 years ago in a snowcapped mountain village near Grenoble, is now as synonymous with viral brand team-ups as classic ski gear, but back in the mid-2000s this was one of its fledgling collaborations (the first being in 2003 with Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière).
—Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023
Abercrombie also has a great deal on a lounge maxi dress that's strikingly similar to the viral one from Skims (but cheaper).
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 27 Nov. 2023
And, luckily for you, most of these viral gifts are ready to shop ahead of Cyber Monday.
—Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
As guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attests, many such symptoms may be caused by viral infections.
—Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2023
For starters, grab your shade of this viral super serum skin tint with more than 11,000 reviews and 13 million views on TikTok, or the highlighting powder used by Pamela Anderson.
—Bridget Degnan, Peoplemag, 26 Nov. 2023
This viral little green machine from Bissell is every clean freak’s dream and a necessity for every parent or pet owner.
—Poppy Morgan, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023
Among the many viral re-shares was a 2011 post in which Kelce observed a squirrel’s behavior after having given it a piece of bread.
—Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2023
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Sarah Han, Allure, 27 Nov. 2023
Moncler, a label born 71 years ago in a snowcapped mountain village near Grenoble, is now as synonymous with viral brand team-ups as classic ski gear, but back in the mid-2000s this was one of its fledgling collaborations (the first being in 2003 with Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière).
—Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2023
Abercrombie also has a great deal on a lounge maxi dress that's strikingly similar to the viral one from Skims (but cheaper).
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 27 Nov. 2023
And, luckily for you, most of these viral gifts are ready to shop ahead of Cyber Monday.
—Alexandra Domrongchai, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
As guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attests, many such symptoms may be caused by viral infections.
—Tammy Murga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2023
For starters, grab your shade of this viral super serum skin tint with more than 11,000 reviews and 13 million views on TikTok, or the highlighting powder used by Pamela Anderson.
—Bridget Degnan, Peoplemag, 26 Nov. 2023
This viral little green machine from Bissell is every clean freak’s dream and a necessity for every parent or pet owner.
—Poppy Morgan, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2023
Among the many viral re-shares was a 2011 post in which Kelce observed a squirrel’s behavior after having given it a piece of bread.
—Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'viral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1937, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing viral
Dictionary Entries Near viral
Cite this Entry
“Viral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viral. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
viral
adjective
vi·ral
ˈvī-rəl 
1
: of, relating to, or caused by a virus
a viral infection
2
: quickly and widely spread or popularized especially by person-to-person electronic communication
a viral video
More from Merriam-Webster on viral
Nglish: Translation of viral for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of viral for Arabic Speakers
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