1
: of, relating to, or caused by a virus
a viral infection
2
: quickly and widely spread or popularized especially by means of social media
a viral video
Examples of viral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In July, Ohanian announced on Instagram that Megan Thee Stallion will perform at the meet, a massive addition after the three-time Grammy winner’s viral performance as entertainer and host of the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards earlier this month.
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Taylor Dutch, SELF, 25 Sep. 2024
Her bejeweled and sparkly ankle monitor – visible on the show – has since become her most viral accessory.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 25 Sep. 2024
The song's story illustrates one of the core ways that music and social media have shaped each other over the last decade—with the proliferation of viral, loopable songs that immediately telegraph a video’s mood on digital platforms designed for ease of copying sound from video to video.
—Deena Prichep, NPR, 25 Sep. 2024
Roman was an all-consuming role for Culkin, and his performance was met with viral fervor and rapturous praise.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for viral 
Taylor Dutch, SELF, 25 Sep. 2024
Her bejeweled and sparkly ankle monitor – visible on the show – has since become her most viral accessory.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 25 Sep. 2024
The song's story illustrates one of the core ways that music and social media have shaped each other over the last decade—with the proliferation of viral, loopable songs that immediately telegraph a video’s mood on digital platforms designed for ease of copying sound from video to video.
—Deena Prichep, NPR, 25 Sep. 2024
Roman was an all-consuming role for Culkin, and his performance was met with viral fervor and rapturous praise.
—Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for viral
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'viral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near viral
Cite this Entry
“Viral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viral. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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viral
adjective
vi·ral
ˈvī-rəl 
1
: of, relating to, or caused by a virus
a viral infection
2
: quickly and widely spread or popularized especially by person-to-person electronic communication
a viral video
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