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

Over the past year, an all-American-style diner serving Italian-American dishes became one of the most viral dining destinations in Paris. — CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

The viral campaign calls for people to cover, disable or damage Flock cameras across the nation on Halloween. — Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 3 Oct. 2026

In 2020, there was a viral news story about the Annabelle doll escaping from the Warren Museum in Connecticut. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026

Cui, now GPTZero’s chief technology officer and a director of engineering at Superhuman, had a viral moment, landing on Fox & Friends and NPR. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 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