virulent
Americanadjective
adjective
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(of a microorganism) extremely infective
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(of a disease) having a rapid course and violent effect
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extremely poisonous, injurious, etc
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extremely bitter, hostile, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of virulent
1350–1400; Middle English verulent < Latin vīrulentus, equivalent to vīr ( us ) poison ( see virus) + -ulentus -ulent
Explanation
A virulent disease is one that's infectious, spreading, and making lots of people sick, while a virulent rant is just a verbal attack, causing sickness of the emotional kind. Either way, something virulent puts a strain on the people who get it. Two meanings come out of the roots for virulent: "poisonous" and "spiteful." The virus-carrying meaning of virulent often gets combined with strain, such as in a "virulent strain of the flu." Those who aren’t carrying disease but are still considered virulent most likely lash out at others with a biting tone. Unleashing acid-tongued words on someone would be considered a virulent attack.
Vocabulary lists containing virulent
100 SAT Words Beginning with "V"
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"A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner
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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
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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.
Law showed that the only plausible explanation of repeated outbreaks in crowded stables was a “specific virulent element” passed from one horse to another.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Valencia is hoping to become Colombia's first woman president, and as a senator has gained a reputation as one of the most virulent critics of guerrilla groups and the left.
From Barron's ● May 25, 2026
The traditional method of creating flu vaccines involves growing the virus in eggs - but this can be a problem when there are virulent avian flu strains which can kill the eggs used during manufacturing.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
We must confront the causal factors of antisemitism honestly and address antisemitism where it is most common and most virulent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026
Over the years, many potential explanations have been examined and debated, and the consensus appears to be that that region was plagued by a particularly virulent strain of what sociologists call a “culture of honor.”
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
