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
While the politics of health and care do not always map onto war and its metaphors, public health is messy when new and virulent diseases take over a country in bereavement.
—
Edna Bonhomme, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2025
In recent years, the censorship and false narratives of woke cancel culture have transformed our great universities into greenhouses for this deadly and virulent pestilence.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Even economic arguments could not overcome the virulent resentment of immigrants.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025
Regardless of West's clear intent to provoke commentary or the current state of his mental health, this type of virulent anti-Semitism requires clear and immediate condemnation in order to maintain the safety of Jews everywhere.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulent
Edna Bonhomme, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2025
In recent years, the censorship and false narratives of woke cancel culture have transformed our great universities into greenhouses for this deadly and virulent pestilence.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
Even economic arguments could not overcome the virulent resentment of immigrants.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2025
Regardless of West's clear intent to provoke commentary or the current state of his mental health, this type of virulent anti-Semitism requires clear and immediate condemnation in order to maintain the safety of Jews everywhere.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulent
Adjective
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Time to update: Apple has discovered hackers exploiting an iOS bug via malicious media files.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
16 Apr. 2025
-
These emails might include malicious links designed to install malware or steal login information.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
FOXNews.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This was a vicious weaponization of your government.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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Employees losing jobs because companies will lay off workers to off-set the expense of tariffs will also mean fewer customers buying goods and services, creating a vicious cycle that depresses both corporate revenues and economic growth.—
Solange Charas,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Such evidence could support the view that incessant loud noise amounts to torture or cruel treatment towards cetaceans, in turn galvanizing support for a new right to be free from such harm.—
David Gruber,
Time,
24 Apr. 2025
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But this is the cruel and unreasonable state of this Administration's deportation policy.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The antisemitic charge is a slur in its own right, tainting a broad range of institutions with a single hateful brush.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
New York Daily News,
14 Apr. 2025
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Prater, a graduate student in her first season with the Bulldogs, appeared to disable her comment section on some of her Instagram posts after facing an influx of hateful messages following the devastating injury Watkins suffered in the first half of their second round game.—
Paulina Dedaj,
FOXNews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Mingyang took the center of the Octagon from the beginning, landed hard leg kicks, and opened a nasty gash on Smith’s forehead with a step-in elbow.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
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That is exactly what the Giants need: nastier players on both sides of the ball.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Virulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulent. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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