as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
I was surprised by the virulence of the criticism
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Recent Examples of virulence
Scientists emphasized that this hasn’t been linked to virulence or rapid transmission.
—
Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024
When a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 1 Oct. 2024
Those cases have decreased significantly in the U.S. The current strain, called clade 1b, is worrisome because of its virulence.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 5 Aug. 2024
In Earth Abides, when a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 25 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024
When a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 1 Oct. 2024
Those cases have decreased significantly in the U.S. The current strain, called clade 1b, is worrisome because of its virulence.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 5 Aug. 2024
In Earth Abides, when a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 25 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for virulence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulence
Noun
-
The consortium has promised to reduce that to 18 months by next year, but even that’s not nearly fast enough given the severity of the transatlantic security crisis.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Your healthcare provider can also prescribe medication to lessen the severity of COVID or the flu, but the key is to act quickly.—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The Russian foreign policy establishment always speculated that Europe would be most likely to eventually seek rapprochement with Moscow, while U.S. hostility to Russia was thought to be hard-wired.—
Fred Weir,
The Christian Science Monitor,
5 Mar. 2025
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Guy Pearce is an antagonistic delight wielding passive-aggressive hostility as the main character’s benefactor, and Felicity Jones, as the architect’s loyal wife, is the heart of the piece who steps up when her spouse can’t.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s profoundly unqualified defense secretary, made the malice clear by calling explicitly for Brown’s ouster along with that of any other officer involved with DEI.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Feb. 2025
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Woe’s Hollow is where Kier Eagan first tamed the four tempers of the human soul: woe, frolic, dread, and malice.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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This starts with inflammation, and the ducts eventually close, leading to bile (digestive fluid) buildup in the liver.—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
13 Dec. 2024
-
Primary sclerosing cholangitis is when a person's bile ducts become chronically inflamed and scarred, impairing bile transport and fat absorption.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
13 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Virulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulence. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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