as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the virulent look on her face warned me that she was about to say something unkind
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Recent Examples of virulent
When the pla gene was in its original, high copy number, the disease was much more virulent.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
The Wades, who had worked in the agency’s detention department, are among about 20 former BSO deputies and correctional officers who have either been convicted at trial or pleaded guilty to the pandemic era’s most virulent crime: PPP loan fraud.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2025
However, one of agriculture’s most potent biological threats, a virulent strain of avian influenza, has infiltrated henhouses over the past three years, roiling the $40 billion industry.
—Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan. 2025
Helene left many lessons to be learned among inland communities in the paths of increasingly virulent storms.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulent
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 May 2025
The Wades, who had worked in the agency’s detention department, are among about 20 former BSO deputies and correctional officers who have either been convicted at trial or pleaded guilty to the pandemic era’s most virulent crime: PPP loan fraud.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2025
However, one of agriculture’s most potent biological threats, a virulent strain of avian influenza, has infiltrated henhouses over the past three years, roiling the $40 billion industry.
—Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jan. 2025
Helene left many lessons to be learned among inland communities in the paths of increasingly virulent storms.
—Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulent
Adjective
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
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Nor are alligators the consistently malicious snappers of Kristi Noem’s dreams.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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This approach costs three times more than housing people and creates a vicious cycle — incarceration increases homelessness risk by destroying community connections and employment prospects.—
Mahdi E Diab,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
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Of course, no conversation about Yellowjackets season 3 would be complete without a deep dive into Shauna's vicious throw down with Swank's Melissa — during which Shauna rips a chunk of flesh off Melissa's arm with her teeth and forces her to eat it.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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What is a totalitarian leader other than an individualist taking that creed to its cruel conclusions, erasing the uniqueness of every other person into mere characters in a drama?—
Ed Simon
June 23,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
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This realization reconfigures the entire book, recasting their ongoing dialogue and seemingly cordial relations as an interstellar jail—and the novel itself into an extended, especially cruel prison sentence.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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Our national broadcaster should not be transmitting hateful material designed to incite violence and conflict.—
Fatima Al-Kassab,
NPR,
30 June 2025
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Instead, the program selectively promoted one viewpoint while silencing others, effectively teaching children that religious beliefs about sexuality and gender are outdated or even hateful.—
Jeffrey S. Trimbath,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Perhaps not helping so much: The set’s early reviews, which have been mostly fairly nasty in their dismissals of the set.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
25 June 2025
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Again there are two levels here, and each radically altered the color profile of the onscreen visuals – with the high setting giving everything a nasty green hue.—
Paul Ridden
June 25,
New Atlas,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Virulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulent. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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