VIRULENT Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

virulent

adjective

ˈvir-ə-lənt

Definition of virulent

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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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

Adjective

Strong antivirus software can help warn you about malicious downloads or suspicious websites.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Radha had always believed that the world was evil and people malicious.

— Akhil Sharma, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of malicious

Adjective

Your husband merely identified the obvious, most vicious enemy of the people in straightforward terms.

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2026
Democrats have little trouble understanding that the right-wing infighting over Carlson is about whether the Republican tent, which already includes racists, nativists, and vicious Islamophobes, is also big enough to include anti-Semites.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of vicious

Adjective

Yiannopoulos’ acerbic and at times hateful speech attracted the fury of students who argued his views should not be platformed.

— Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Grabs a ketchup bottle and garnishes his face, before squirting mustard into his hateful, piggish eyes.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of hateful

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virulency

virulent

virulently

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“Virulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulent. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of virulent

adjective

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