viral
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or caused by a virus.
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pertaining to or involving the spreading of information and opinions about a product or service from person to person, especially on the internet or in emails.
a clever viral ad.
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becoming very popular by circulating quickly from person to person, especially through the internet.
the most memorable viral videos;
This book is already viral two weeks before its official publication date.
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pertaining to a computer virus.
idioms
adjective
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of, relating to, or caused by a virus
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(of a video, image, story, etc) spread quickly and widely among internet users via social networking sites, e-mail, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of viral
Explanation
If you go to work when you're sick, your co-workers will be hoping that whatever you've got isn't viral. Viral describes a disease caused by a virus, and viruses are usually infectious. Infections and other kinds of diseases can be classified as viral by a doctor, which means they're caused by viruses, specific kinds of microorganisms. Because of the speedy way that viral infections can spread, the meaning has grown to include the spread of ideas or information, often on the Internet. Viral videos are short online films that become incredibly popular very quickly, as people share them with each other and they spread like a virus.
Vocabulary lists containing viral
National Nurses Week: Common Medical Terms
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“About Edward Jenner” from the Jenner Institute
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Not Like Other Girls
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Viral posts of an Australian street dubbed the country's "most beautiful" have enticed coachloads of visitors to a picturesque seaside town -- and locals have had enough of it.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
Viral sketches and digital shorts occurred as frequently as new fan-favorite characters.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
Viral video handed to insurers as evidence seemed to show a bear in a 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost in Lake Arrowhead on 28 January 2024.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Viral baby elephant Linh Mai is apparently pretty sassy.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
The debacle was no surprise to several of us who had just been in Oxford for a Society of General Microbiology meeting on “The Nature of Viral Multiplication.”
From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
