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
Internet users have rallied to offer their support, as many of the clips have gone viral.
—
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
For decades, mechanical royalties from a deep cut on a popular album could get a writer enough to buy a house, but today, streaming revenue on even a viral hit may not be enough to cover rent.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
The viral YouTube horror series has amassed nearly 200 million views since its 2022 debut, and before getting a feature film greenlight.
—Vincent Perella, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Then, in the wake of George Floyd's viral murder and the national reckoning over Black lives, institutions like the Recording Academy began redressing their historic role in Black artists being criminally overlooked.
—Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for viral
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Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
For decades, mechanical royalties from a deep cut on a popular album could get a writer enough to buy a house, but today, streaming revenue on even a viral hit may not be enough to cover rent.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
The viral YouTube horror series has amassed nearly 200 million views since its 2022 debut, and before getting a feature film greenlight.
—Vincent Perella, IndieWire, 1 Oct. 2025
Then, in the wake of George Floyd's viral murder and the national reckoning over Black lives, institutions like the Recording Academy began redressing their historic role in Black artists being criminally overlooked.
—Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for viral
Cite this Entry
“Viral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viral. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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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
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