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.
But what makes sequences like this go viral?
From BBC • May 29, 2026
The song became a viral sensation, and the anthem of mass protests that erupted that summer.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
Known for its Claude models, Anthropic went viral late last year when coders and hobbyists began trying out an updated model together with an autonomous coding tool called Claude Code.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
A Cervantes video has gone viral for bringing a mini dinosaur named Jerry with him to the mound every time he pitches.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
In 2014, a fake online Apple advertisement went viral, fooling a few iPhone users.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
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.
