as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the virulent look on her face warned me that she was about to say something unkind
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Recent Examples of virulent
Pigs can foster the creation of a more virulent and transmissible human pathogen due to their ability to harbor both avian and human influenza viruses.
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Crystal Heath and Gene Baur, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
Certainly, a highly virulent respiratory virus could have a major global impact.
—Dave Wessner, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Recently officials announced the disturbing news that bird flu has infected a pig in Oregon, a troubling development that health experts say could mean a more transmissible and virulent virus.
—Seema Policepatil, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
With more powerful and virulent tools, fake news can travel at near two thirds the speed of light, often without human regulation.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for virulent 
Crystal Heath and Gene Baur, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
Certainly, a highly virulent respiratory virus could have a major global impact.
—Dave Wessner, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Recently officials announced the disturbing news that bird flu has infected a pig in Oregon, a troubling development that health experts say could mean a more transmissible and virulent virus.
—Seema Policepatil, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
With more powerful and virulent tools, fake news can travel at near two thirds the speed of light, often without human regulation.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for virulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulent
Adjective
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While conceding that standard phishing methods, those that typically require threat actors to craft malicious emails that are delivered to a wide audience, are relatively easy for email platforms to detect and block, that’s not the case with this phishless attack.Davey Winder, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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The complaint alleges malicious prosecution and defamation during the manslaughter case and also accuses the defendants of intentionally mishandling evidence in the case, which stemmed from the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the Western film Rust.Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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That’s when Evans, in a full sprint, blindsided Lattimore with a vicious hit in the back and knocked him to the ground.Rick Stroud, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2025
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Several fast-growing wildfires fueled by a vicious Southern California wind storm are devastating communities across the Los Angeles region, with homes being burned to the ground and tens of thousands of people evacuating to safety.Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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And having more thoughtful conversations doesn’t preclude the need sometimes to confront those who are needlessly cruel or organizations that benefit from such exploitation.Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Jan. 2025
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In recent months, the Justice Department and the state filed thousands of pages of new records in the lawsuit, including reports and sworn statements from pediatricians, scholars and others who describe Florida’s policies as archaic and cruel.Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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There’s no legal argument to be made against this turn away from fact-checking and towards a more freewheeling, more disinformation-laden, more confusing, more hateful and less illuminating approach.New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 Jan. 2025
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With Zuckerberg’s decision to rescind policies barring hateful speech, he’s made clear that distinction is worth the possibility of political clout come Inauguration Day.Makena Kelly, WIRED, 9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The net front is the nastiest place on an NHL rink.Chris Branch, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
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Make sure your items are delivered on time before nasty weather hits by signing up for a Prime membership.Christopher Murray, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near virulent
Cite this Entry
“Virulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulent. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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