as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
I was surprised by the virulence of the criticism
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Recent Examples of virulence
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
The scale score measures the virulence of cancerous cells and tissues in the body, with a higher score meaning the cancer is more likely to spread quickly, as Biden’s has already done.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025
In Canada, modest supply management policies keep farmgate and farmer pay prices higher, while disincentivizing the buildout of fast-paced, crowded and large scale production facilities at the heart of avian flu virulence.
—Errol Schweizer, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Everything about the movement surprised political observers: its virulence, its magnitude, its provincial origins, its apparent lack of structure and leadership, and its adamant refusal to be co-opted by existing political parties and unions.
—Arthur Goldhammer, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
The scale score measures the virulence of cancerous cells and tissues in the body, with a higher score meaning the cancer is more likely to spread quickly, as Biden’s has already done.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025
In Canada, modest supply management policies keep farmgate and farmer pay prices higher, while disincentivizing the buildout of fast-paced, crowded and large scale production facilities at the heart of avian flu virulence.
—Errol Schweizer, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Everything about the movement surprised political observers: its virulence, its magnitude, its provincial origins, its apparent lack of structure and leadership, and its adamant refusal to be co-opted by existing political parties and unions.
—Arthur Goldhammer, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulence
Noun
-
Quick hits Tigers reliever Kyle Finnegan suffered right groin tightness while warming up during Wednesday's game, and the severity of the injury is unclear.—
Christian Romo,
Freep.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
While the time can vary based on many circumstances such as the type, severity, and location of the bruise, many bruises last for about two weeks.—
Marisa Garshick,
Verywell Health,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Regarding her own father, former Hollywood lighting director Thomas Markle, there is such entrenched bitterness, and this situation makes any reconciliation far from likely.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The biggest casualty, says Srivastava, will be the goodwill between India and the United States, built after decades of bitterness over Washington's support of India's adversaries like Pakistan.—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When faced with Laura’s hostility, what can Cherry do but lose her mind, smash a glass against her head, and tell Daniel that his mother did it?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The conflict between Israel and Palestine was dividing friends, sparking tensions, and fueling rising acts of hostility.—
Rchin Bari,
Boston Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Howard sells his smug malice, digging into Matt in a way no one has before until the whole thing devolves into a physical fight.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Smith said Hawthorne committed murder because his actions showed malice.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This allows bile to drain out of the liver and is used to prevent liver failure.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This condition means Olivia’s bile ducts are blocked, so bile builds up in her liver and damages it, according to the Cleveland Clinic.—
Bella Waters,
Kansas City Star,
18 July 2025
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 11 Sep. 2025.
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