virus

noun

Definition of virusnext
as in disease

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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 virus Health experts recommend getting vaccinated as soon as possible to ensure the best protection through the fall and winter virus season. — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Along with everyone else in healthcare, I was exposed to the virus every day, all day, with unforgivably inadequate personal protective equipment. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 The initial patient — a Kenyan citizen — caught the deadly virus while living in Congo and died earlier this month. — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026 When the midges transfer the virus to mammals, the fever isn’t necessarily obvious, but other symptoms can be. — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for virus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virus
  1. disease
  2. contagion
Noun
  • Depending on the species, that could mean breeding animals in captivity and releasing them, restoring habitat, managing disease, or controlling invasive species.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Beeswax, honey, and pollen each possess their own particular antimicrobial and chemical properties that, taken together, repel disease and encourage helpful fungi.
    — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of disease
Noun
  • There was little understanding of how contagion might spread, but the civic leaders intuited that physical distancing measures could lessen its effect.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Cowboys will look to cut off the potential of a contagion being further passed around the locker room ahead of their Week 6 clash with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night at Lambeau Field.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of contagion

Browse Nearby Words

virulently
virus
viruses
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Cite this Entry

“Virus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virus. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about virus

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