viral

adjective

vi·​ral ˈvī-rəl How to pronounce viral (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or caused by a virus
a viral infection
2
: quickly and widely spread or popularized especially by means of social media
a viral video
virally
ˈvī-rə-lē How to pronounce viral (audio)
adverb
virality
vī-ˈra-lə-tē How to pronounce viral (audio)
noun

Examples of viral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Niven, who received his PhD from Ohio State University, pointed to another viral moment from Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy as an instance of the latter. — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2026 Unpacking Meta's wild week Meta delivered a strong third quarter Wednesday evening, but worries about negative free cash flow and its AI spending needs upstaged strong guidance and a promising roadmap for its viral Muse AI agent. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026 Hailey Bieber’s viral $21 Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie helped push the market even further into pop culture. — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026 Very often, a viral news story about animals is a comedy to its audience and an unmitigated tragedy to its subjects. — Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for viral

Word History

Etymology

vir(us) + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of viral was in 1937

Phrases Containing viral

Rhymes for viral

See All Rhymes for viral

Browse Nearby Words

virago
viral
Virales
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Viral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viral. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

viral

adjective
vi·​ral ˈvī-rəl How to pronounce viral (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or caused by a virus
a viral infection
2
: quickly and widely spread or popularized especially by person-to-person electronic communication
a viral video

Medical Definition

viral

adjective
vi·​ral ˈvī-rəl How to pronounce viral (audio)
: of, relating to, or caused by a virus
viral infections
virally
-rə-lē How to pronounce viral (audio)
adverb
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