as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
the virulency of his critical judgments became the stuff of Broadway legend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of virulency
The virulency of Covid-19 trained even those of us who shop locally out of principal to purchase online.
—
Marc Peruzzi, Outside Online, 2 Mar. 2021
Marc Peruzzi, Outside Online, 2 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for virulency
Noun
-
Despite the severity of the South Carolina outbreak, Edwards considers the public health response a success.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The actual severity of any shortcomings at OpenAI and how far any weaknesses could spread remain open questions, Yardeni said.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The state said Hollis was wrong for harboring bitterness toward him.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to the scallions, half a cup of whole parsley leaves adds a grassy depth and pleasant bitterness to this salad.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the chancellor struggled to imagine how such an end of hostilities could be reached that would satisfy the White House.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The hostility to literature felt by some of the architects of the Red Scare is well established.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To predict how an outbreak will progress, epidemiologists often use stock-and-flow diagrams: illustrations featuring stocks of people (susceptible, infected, recovered, dead) and arrows showing flows between them based on factors such as exposure or virulence.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Genes involved in adaptation, such as those linked to virulence, metabolism or host interaction, also move with them.—
Lily Peck,
The Conversation,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Nolan suffered from biliary atresia, a condition where bile ducts –– which carry the bile the liver makes into the intestines –– don’t develop properly.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Key Takeaways Eating a small handful of arugula before meals may gently support digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes, stomach acid, and bile.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But Lloyd’s version brims with mordancy.—
Sarah Weinman,
New York Times,
10 Feb. 2023
-
The gray-tint, cross-hatched drawings evoke George Cruikshank and Samuel Palmer, but the mordancy is vintage Sendak.—
The Week Staff,
The Week,
17 Oct. 2022
Noun
-
Actual malice is the legal standard by which courts determine if someone is liable for libel.—
Keely Bastow,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2026
-
However, the evidence of actual malice does not approach the clear and convincing standard.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In response to that outpouring of anger, the government said Starmer acknowledged fear within the community.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
-
The anger is understandable, but it’s pointed in the wrong direction.—
Robert Johnson,
Rolling Stone,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Virulency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/virulency. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
