virulent

adjective

ˈvir-ə-lənt How to pronounce virulent (audio)
Definition of virulentnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of virulent The feminist progress of the past half century has been met with a virulent backlash of misogyny. — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026 Further tests showed that the thick sticky coating made these bacteria more virulent than the normal-looking bacteria from the first urine sample. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 July 2026 Legionella, the bacteria that causes the virulent form of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease, has been detected in a cooling tower at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on New York’s Upper East Side. — News Desk, Artforum, 15 July 2026 Deaths from influenza rose slightly, partly due to an unusually virulent strain circulating last year, although falling vaccination rates may also have contributed, The Wall Street Journal reported. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for virulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulent
  1. malicious
  2. vicious
  3. cruel
  4. hateful
  5. nasty
Adjective
  • Strong antivirus software can help protect against malicious links, phishing sites and malware that may appear alongside these scams.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Tech companies are playing whack-a-mole around the world as their models get up to more hijinks and are used for malicious purposes.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of malicious
Adjective
  • Experts are voicing concerns over the vicious cycle of rising debt and higher yields.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Verity dwells almost entirely in the gulf between the front-facing celeb being interviewed by Alex Cooper and the vicious private thoughts of her confession.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • The offbeat, cruel cadence of the bit reminded me of classic Update Norm Macdonald.
    — Charu Sinha, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The misery of the situation could feel overwhelming, even cruel, but Cahyono’s observation of Sumiati’s struggles is humane and sympathetic.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • The fanbase has been labeled as hateful by the media, opposing players and even A'ja Wilson's mom.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The apology was met with a lukewarm reaction from a public that had watched the rapper’s troubling antics and hateful statements for years.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of hateful
Adjective
  • The New York Yankees were still reeling from a nasty gut punch — a 1-0 loss to the rival Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the best-of-five American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on Saturday night.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Frank Senior was a barber who dreamed of being a singer, a nasty cur who beat his two sons and verbally whittled them down to a nub.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of nasty

Browse Nearby Words

virulency
virulent
virulently
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Cite this Entry

“Virulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulent. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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