as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
I was surprised by the virulence of the criticism
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of virulence
Donald Trump’s back-to-back tirades this week against Somali immigrants in Minnesota, many of whom are U.S. citizens, brought into the open the kind of virulence that, during his first term, the President mostly tried to keep behind closed doors.
—
Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2025
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
While VUMs require more testing to establish their true risks to public health, VOIs are explicitly confirmed to have genetic changes that affect virus characteristics like transmissibility and virulence.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2025
The diminished virulence that the pathogen evolved in response to more of its hosts dying potentially caused these earlier plague pandemics to fizzle out.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2025
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
While VUMs require more testing to establish their true risks to public health, VOIs are explicitly confirmed to have genetic changes that affect virus characteristics like transmissibility and virulence.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 9 June 2025
The diminished virulence that the pathogen evolved in response to more of its hosts dying potentially caused these earlier plague pandemics to fizzle out.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulence
Noun
-
Following the tornado watch, the weather service issued several severe thunderstorm warnings Tuesday evening, each varying in timeframe and potential severity.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Their targets appeared overwhelmed by the speed and severity of the offensive.—
Rose Horowitch,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The subtle bitterness is complemented with creamy cheese and a mouth-puckering lemon dressing.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
-
There is no apparent bitterness on Ward’s part over being parked in Triple-A for so long, watching so many of his teammates get promoted.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
So far, however, there is no sign of hostilities easing.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Aluminum hit the highest in almost four years before erasing gains, as escalating hostilities in the Middle East worsened the supply outlook from the region, while copper and other industrial metals fell on falling risk appetite.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The hypocrisy and malice are stunning.—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Count 1, malice murder, guilty.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Dolphins great and media star Jim Mandich suffered from bile-duct cancer in 2010.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Broccoli, cauliflower, artichoke, endive, dandelion, cabbage, and chicory contain bitter compounds that stimulate bile production, which supports fat digestion, waste elimination, and hormonal balance—indirectly helping manage acid load.—
Mélanie Defouilloy,
Vogue,
24 Feb. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Virulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulence. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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