Virulent

Quick meaning: Virulent is an adjective meaning Of animals, plants, or substances: extremely venomous or poisonous.

Meaning

Of animals, plants, or substances: extremely venomous or poisonous.

More Meanings

1. (figurative) Extremely hostile or malicious; intensely acrimonious.
2. (medicine) Of a disease or disease-causing agent: malignant, able to cause damage to the host.
3. (microbiology) Of a pathogen: replicating within its host cell, then immediately causing it to undergo lysis.

Example Sentences

The politicians were virulent in their hatred of the president.

More venemous and much more virulent / Then any poyſoned tode, or any ſerpent.

They were targeted by a virulent strain of nativism toward those from Southern and Eastern Europe that was largely about race.

It was a casual sneer, obviously one of a long line. There was hatred behind it, but of a quiet, chronic type, nothing new or unduly virulent, and he was taken aback by the flicker of amazed incredulity that passed over the younger man's ravaged face.

Synonyms for virulent

Depending on context, synonyms include acerbic, caustic, acrid, vitriolic, venomous, acerb.

Antonyms for virulent

Common opposites include harmless, benign.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include venomous, toxic, blistering, caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous.

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