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
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
To learn more about how these plague pandemics changed over time, scientists at McMaster University in Canada and the Institut Pasteur in France turned to a Y. pestis virulence gene known as pla.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulence
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
To learn more about how these plague pandemics changed over time, scientists at McMaster University in Canada and the Institut Pasteur in France turned to a Y. pestis virulence gene known as pla.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulence
Noun
-
Plus as climate change accelerates the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, this gap is becoming one of the most significant and underappreciated risks to global financial stability.—
Nina Seega,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
Its severity was rated S1, the second-highest classification.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
There was no detectable bitterness in his voice.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
This matters because fermentation reduces bitterness and makes plant compounds, especially polyphenols, more available.—
Dr. Steven Gundry,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The onset of hostilities was enough to persuade around a hundred and eighty Democrats to support the measure.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
As swirling rumors and escalating fears mount of imminent US-Israeli strikes, there is a growing sense of inevitability among many Iranians about the resumption of hostilities.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The task is advanced by our malice toward one, and that one is Mary.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Most environments do not fail out of malice.—
Bill Schiffmiller,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Tons of commenters chimed in on the video, urging Abbie to go get checked for the temporary liver condition, which often occurs in the third trimester, and can slow bile flow, cause severe itching and elevated bile acids.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Nolan suffered from biliary atresia, a condition where bile ducts –– which carry the bile the liver makes into the intestines –– don’t develop properly.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 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 21 May. 2026.
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