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
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
Today, the Russian influence in the global south has waned, but it has been replaced by a more virulent impact from China.
—Bill Gray, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulent
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
Today, the Russian influence in the global south has waned, but it has been replaced by a more virulent impact from China.
—Bill Gray, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for virulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulent
Adjective
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These methods can easily miss deeper behavioral indicators that would signal a malicious payload lurking beneath the surface.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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The best way to safeguard against malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This creates a vicious cycle: more applications lead to lower acceptance rates, triggering even more applications from worried students.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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However, some people develop unhelpful habits and ways of thinking about sleep that create a vicious cycle, said Krieger, who is also director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What's particularly cruel about that reality is that after years of dealing with questions about his weight, the former Duke Blue Devil star played a career-high 70 games in 2023-24.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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As poor, lost, beautiful Dorian becomes more and more shallow and cruel—with only the portrait locked away in his attic reflecting the decay of his body and soul—Williams and Snook together locate Wilde’s evocation of a particularly insidious kind of societal cancer.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Beauvais’ comments about fan support are likely in reference to the support she’s received when clashing with her castmates, as well as in season 12, when her teenage son experienced hateful online backlash.—
Jackie Strause,
The Hollywood Reporter,
25 Mar. 2025
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This group includes canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, rice bran, soybean, safflower, and sunflower oils. Skepticism of the hateful eight stems from the production process of many seed oils, which uses mechanical or chemical treatment.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Interestingly, the feeling of abandonment mirrors the animating force of the nastiest parts of the American manosphere: the belief that men got left behind.—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
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The 30-year-old eked out a split decision win in a battle of women who came in on nasty losing streaks.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Virulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulent. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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