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
-
Matthew Tkachuk’s injury Of utmost importance for the Panthers now that the tournament has concluded: Figuring out the severity of Matthew Tkachuk’s lower-body injury that hobbled him for most of the tournament.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
21 Feb. 2025
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Rivers told reporters that the risk of the appeal being unsuccessful and the suspension then ending later in the season was too great of a risk, even if the team disagreed with the severity of the punishment.—
Eric Nehm,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Police said Mangione was in possession of a firearm matching the one used in the shooting, a fake ID and a notebook expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives.—
Katherine Fung,
Newsweek,
21 Feb. 2025
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The stakes for Thursday's game were raised amid physical hostility between the teams throughout the tournament and geopolitical tension between the two countries in recent weeks.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
21 Feb. 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
-
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 3 Mar. 2025.
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