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.
The decision went as viral as a 19th-century opinion could.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Algorithmic shifts mean posts from creators with small followings can go viral, while large followings no longer guarantee audience views.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
A seven-year-old from Sydney, Australia has gone viral after a video of him performing an original song was posted on his dad's social media.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
"This finding is unprecedented for a viral polymerase inhibitor and demonstrates the extraordinary antiviral potency of this drug."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 24, 2026
This time, the petition went viral, attracting attention from Reddit, Bustle, the Advocate, and Huffington Post.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
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.
