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 In severe cases, the virus can cause a deadly lung infection or kidney failure. — ABC News, 21 July 2026 Many people were reluctant to speak, as if the virus were taboo. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 21 July 2026 The Embassy says local transmission means the virus is now circulating among the local mosquito population in the area, not just arriving via travelers. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 When the next big respiratory virus pandemic comes, citizens, political leaders, and public health authorities will once again look back at history — especially the Covid-19 pandemic — to inform our response. — Marc Lipsitch, STAT, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for virus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virus
  1. disease
  2. contagion
Noun
  • DeepMind’s AlphaFold, for example, has used to AI to make available new structures for more than 200 million proteins, opening new pathways for research into disease and medicine.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The lab got its start with studies of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the 1900s, when ranchers and cattle were dying from the then-unknown disease.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of disease
Noun
  • Organisers wanted to avoid any risk of contagion as the race passed through the valley.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • These conditions make Ebola especially risky, as early symptoms can be mistaken for other illnesses such as malaria and delay detection, increasing risks of contagion.
    — Maryanne Murray Buechner, Forbes.com, 1 July 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 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on virus

Nglish: Translation of virus for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about virus

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