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 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 This petition must be placed within a tense French context, after several months of virulent criticism aimed at cinema. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 4 June 2026 Topline Kanye West performed to a stadium crowd of more than 100,000 fans in Turkey on Saturday, his first performance in Europe in more than a decade, as the rapper attempts a comeback following immense backlash to his long history of virulent antisemitic remarks, which derailed his career. — Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for virulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulent
  1. malicious
  2. vicious
  3. cruel
  4. hateful
  5. nasty
Adjective
  • This will likely not be the last time US courts see the malicious tactic, as AI tools become more commonplace in court systems.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • After all, an agent could accept a URL and download a malicious package without its human user even knowing.
    — David Berreby, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of malicious
Adjective
  • But Roy’s story of Annie (Arjun Raina), a New Delhi architecture student caught in a vicious cycle of failing and repeating his studies, gradually reveals itself as a sharp and poignant portrayal of youth, deftly poised between hope and cynicism.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Lawsuits, bureaucratic battles, boisterously divisive council arguments and vicious social media debates have been part of Bloomfield life for years, and intensified during Danielle Wong’s contentious time as mayor.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • Oleksa watches them from the other end of the camera feed, in the middle of a gnarly interrogation with Kyle and Cruz — the latter silently watching Oleksa go through a cruel facsimile of her own violent recruitment crucible in the first season.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Murder charge 'cruel and unusual,' advocate says Of cases where a child was unknowingly left in a car, about 41% do not lead to criminal charges against caregivers, Rollins said.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • The league's anti-hate committee was formed last year to deal with hateful and abusive online comments directed at players and the league.
    — S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But arguably the script by Jones and director Brunner might have been a skoosh more impactful if the small-minded townsfolk, clearly coded as bigoted MAGA types, weren’t quite so hateful with only a few exceptions.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of hateful
Adjective
  • The former Cardinal is an absolute brawler with over 90 NFL starts who brings the exact nasty, tone-setting violence this interior unit needs.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Greg and Denise are having some marital issues, but everybody needs to put other concerns aside to stay alive with nasty raptors and other hungry beasties around.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of virulent for Spanish Speakers

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