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 means of social media

a viral video

virally

ˈvī-rə-lē 

adverb

virality

vī-ˈra-lə-tē 

noun

Examples of viral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unconventional living situations going viral With rentals more expensive than ever, social media posts on how to save money in New York often rack up thousands of likes. — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

In March, cities like Boston, Flagstaff and Santa Clara all dropped Flock following a now-viral Super Bowl ad from Amazon’s Ring, which subsequently pulled its Flock integration. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026

In the viral bar incident, the two troopers are seen sitting at the end of the bar. — Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

The next day, JT showed a snippet of his viral cameo that had everyone and their mother throwing up their phones in glee. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

vir(us) + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing viral

• viral load
• viral marketing

Rhymes for viral

• chiral
• spiral
• adenoviral
• antiretroviral
• antiviral
• retroviral

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

Medical Definition

viral

adjective

vi·​ral ˈvī-rəl 

: of, relating to, or caused by a virus

viral infections

virally

-rə-lē 

adverb