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.
“When a strain is less virulent, as in the case of the Bundibugyo strain, infected people feel sick, but not sick enough to be bedridden or abandon their daily routines.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
But his decision to endorse a major offshore oil exploration project off the coast of the Amazon has garnered virulent criticism from activists.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
The Fontainebleau forest blaze, described by officials as "virulent" and of "exceptional scale", partially closed the country's main north-south highway, disrupting traffic during the first major weekend getaway of the summer.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
"The bumpier, irregular surface of the virulent strains exposes parts of the virus that are normally hidden, allowing certain antibodies to attach more easily," Dr. Bibby said.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2025
Myth number three: MDR was less virulent and contagious than regular TB.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
