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
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
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
See All Example Sentences for virulence
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
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
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulence
Noun
-
Jamie Lynn Spears is opening up about the severity of her daughter's 2017 near-fatal ATV accident.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
At the time, the severity of the ruling reflected the enormous scale of Lan’s fraud as well as efforts by authorities to restore investor trust.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
Add the lime juice just before serving to preserve brightness and prevent bitterness.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
-
How did someone emerge from such darkness without becoming consumed by bitterness?—
Norman B. Gildin,
Sun Sentinel,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The accord called for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a halt to hostilities across the region, including in Lebanon.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
-
The memorandum of understanding calls for an end to all hostilities, including in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have been fighting Hezbollah.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Noun
-
The documentary explores the dark web of fraud, deception and malice that led Parker to feign a pregnancy to try to bolster her relationship with boyfriend Wade Griffin — and when her fake due date passed, kill Hancock for her baby, Braxlynn Sage.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
-
Baldoni and his attorneys failed to prove Lively had acted with malice.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
The disorder caused bile to build up in her liver, causing relentless itching with little relief.—
David Begnaud,
CBS News,
22 June 2026
-
Those include lung cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian and endometrial cancers, and cholangiocarcinoma (a type of bile-duct cancer), according to Revolution Medicines.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
8 June 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 24 Jun. 2026.
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