virulence

noun

ˈvir-ə-lən(t)s How to pronounce virulence (audio)
Definition of virulencenext
as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression I was surprised by the virulence of the criticism

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of virulence Flu has overtaken covid in infections and hospitalizations during the winter respiratory virus season, and their virulence is becoming similar. — Fenit Nirappil, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2026 Genes involved in adaptation, such as those linked to virulence, metabolism or host interaction, also move with them. — Lily Peck, The Conversation, 17 Feb. 2026 Even controversial research aimed at enhancing pathogen transmissibility and virulence can yield valuable insights into how pathogens naturally evolve and how to prepare for future pandemics. — David Gillum, STAT, 22 Jan. 2026 One Pasteurella-like microbe carried genetic hints of virulence and has ties to deadly outbreaks in modern African elephants. — Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for virulence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulence
  1. severity
  2. bitterness
  3. hostility
  4. malice
  5. bile
  6. virulency
Noun
  • Following a major hailstorm, for example, connected property intelligence can help carriers quickly assess affected neighborhoods, triage claims based on severity and deploy field resources where they're needed most.
    — David Tobias, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The 24-year-old Italian pulled out of this week’s Cincinnati Open with the same issue, and has been undergoing medical tests in Milan and Turin throughout August to assess its severity.
    — James Hansen, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of severity
Noun
  • Little united the Syrian rebels during the country’s civil war from 2011 to 2024 outside of their hatred of Assad, and Damascus has sought to cultivate this memory of bitterness to keep the country’s disparate groups together.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The tea supplies tannins and bitterness while maple and orange recreate that familiar balance of sweet, bitter and citrus.
    — Ryan Brennan August 9, Kansas City Star, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of bitterness
Noun
  • The Soviet Union took them from Japan in the final days of World War II, and the dispute has kept the countries from signing a peace treaty formally ending their hostilities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were already at loggerheads over Syria, with Saudi Arabia backing the post-Assad regime and the UAE sharing Israel’s hostility to it, and Yemen, where Saudi Arabia had just driven out Emirati proxies.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of hostility
Noun
  • Good intentions can become intentional malice when policymakers ignore clear warnings and leave taxpayers stuck with the bill.
    — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Takamura tasks Musashi with eliminating the malice that has spread around the city.
    — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of malice
Noun
  • The liver just might be one of your hardest-working organs, producing proteins and filtering the blood, metabolizing nutrients and creating necessary bile for digestion.
    — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease begins in the slender tubes that carry digestive bile and is associated with symptoms like abdominal pain, fatigue, fever and night sweats.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of bile
Noun
  • The virulency of Covid-19 trained even those of us who shop locally out of principal to purchase online.
    — Marc Peruzzi, Outside Online, 2 Mar. 2021
Definition of virulency

Browse Nearby Words

virtus
virulence
virulency
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Cite this Entry

“Virulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulence. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on virulence

Nglish: Translation of virulence for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about virulence

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