Meaning & use
virulent
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Meanings
adjectivecomparablemedical
Describing a disease or poison that is extremely harmful and spreads or acts very quickly.
Grammar: Can follow more or most: a more virulent strain; can stand before a noun or after a linking verb.
Patterns
- a virulent strain of something
- a virulent disease
- highly virulent
Doctors warned about a virulent strain of flu that spread through the city.
The fungus is so virulent that it can kill a whole orchard.
Some bacteria become more virulent when antibiotics are overused.
adjectivecomparablefigurativedisapproving
Filled with bitter, aggressive hostility, as in words, opinions or feelings.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun such as attack or criticism: a virulent attack.
Patterns
- a virulent attack on someone
- virulent criticism of something
The newspaper ran a virulent attack on the mayor.
Her speech was full of virulent hatred for her rivals.
He faced virulent criticism after the announcement.
Word forms
| comparative | more virulent |
|---|---|
| superlative | most virulent |
Common combinations
- virulent strain
- A virulent strain of the virus appeared last winter.
- virulent attack
- The columnist launched a virulent attack on the policy.
- virulent racism
- The report described virulent racism in some online groups.
- highly virulent
- The pathogen is highly virulent in young animals.
- virulent opposition
- The plan met virulent opposition from local residents.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deadly
- Deadly means likely to cause death in any context, while virulent mostly describes germs or harsh language and stresses fast, strong action.
- venomous
- Venomous literally refers to animals that inject poison and figuratively to spiteful words, whereas virulent in medicine refers to disease.
- bitter
- Bitter describes sharp resentment but can be mild, while virulent suggests an extremely strong and aggressive hostility.
- malignant
- Malignant applies to tumors or evil intentions, whereas virulent applies to infectious agents and attacks.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: virulent or viral?
virulent vs viral
Viral means relating to a virus, or spreading quickly online; a viral video is popular, while a virulent disease is dangerously harmful.
Practice
Scientists feared that the new strain would be more ___ than the original and would spread faster.
Choose one answer.
Virulent describes a germ that is especially harmful and fast acting. Vulnerable describes someone at risk, not the germ, and virtuous and visible do not fit the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “virulent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.