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
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
An ePPP is a pathogen that has been modified to enhance its transmissibility and virulence.
—Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Still others are investigating viruses that attack Bd and eventually might be used to reduce its virulence.
—Martin J. Kernan, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for 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
An ePPP is a pathogen that has been modified to enhance its transmissibility and virulence.
—Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Still others are investigating viruses that attack Bd and eventually might be used to reduce its virulence.
—Martin J. Kernan, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulence
Noun
-
Coupled with the severity of his illness, Kotton suspected a widespread parasitic infection.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 June 2025
-
Armor can reduce the severity of the hit and also affect how big the damage is.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Fu also singled out Israel and called for efforts to bring an end to the hostilities.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
23 June 2025
-
Recent Market Performance Since the start of the current Israel-Iran hostilities on June 13, the S&P 500 has been 1.2% lower.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
Noun
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The charges included one count of malice murder and one count of felony murder; three counts of cruelty to children in the first degree; three counts of false imprisonment; three counts of contributing to the dependency of a minor; and three counts of kidnapping.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
19 June 2025
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The suit, filed this week in Dallas County District court, accuses Gateway Church founder Robert Morris and others of libel, malice, defamation, slander, failure to report, civil conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and unjust enrichment.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
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The liver serves several vital functions, such as filtering blood, converting food into energy, eliminating wastes, and producing various substances like bile, proteins, and cholesterol.—
Jonathan Purtell,
Verywell Health,
13 June 2025
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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.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Virulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulence. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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