virulent (C2)

adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈvɪr.jə.lənt/

Definition

Extremely severe, harmful, or infectious in its effects.

Examples

• The virulent disease decimated the local livestock population within a single week.

• She was shocked by the virulent tone of the online comments directed at her work.

• Scientists are racing to develop a vaccine against this new, highly virulent strain of influenza.

Synonyms of virulent

Words with a similar meaning to virulent:

• harmful
• deadly
• toxic
• malignant
• pernicious

Antonyms of virulent

Words with the opposite meaning to virulent:

• harmless
• benign

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