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
Examples of viral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The music video for the viral song has amassed over 25 million views — and counting — on YouTube in roughly a month.
—
Raven Brunner, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
Its engaging and viral format could disrupt the talk series category, which lacks a clear frontrunner.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for viral 
Raven Brunner, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
Its engaging and viral format could disrupt the talk series category, which lacks a clear frontrunner.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 16 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for viral
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'viral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near viral
Cite this Entry
“Viral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viral. Accessed 23 May. 2024.
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viral
adjective
vi·ral
ˈvī-rəl 
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
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