virulent
7
8.4
- adjective
- /ˈvɪrələnt/
:
virulento
- His virulent remarks during the debate led to a heated argument.
- virulent racism
- virulent attacks
- virulent rhetoric
They scare me more and are more often virulent about how they would carry out some of this stuff.
- They scare me more and are more often virulent about how they would carry out some of this stuff.
- If I say that you, I detect in you virulent homophobia and therefore you shouldn't be employed.
- But I have to say that the backslide for trans people to me looks like extra virulent right?
- And the bigger, the bigger that someone's platform grows, the more virulent and mean and cutting the criticism is.
- And there were very forceful and virulent statements about the possibility of war even then, which I don't see today.
- Here we have a guy who is virulent in all ways.
Examples
-
And yet diet discussions online are some of the most virulent and aggressive that you see.
-
Anti-Islamism is today the most open and virulent form of bigotry that afflicts Western societies.
Academic text (1992) -
On the other hand, would the media coverage of this case have been as virulent if Simpson had been white?
Academic text (1994) -
Yes, and they were said to be the most virulent proponents of the Final Solution.
Fiction book (2001) -
I'm worried about the virulent racism that he harnesses and uses like a weapon.
-
Anti-Americanism is now more virulent among extreme right nationalists than in the traditional left.
Academic text (1997) -
I suspended the draft at noon, but the mobs only grew more virulent.
Fiction book (2002) -
And like the Puritans, we are the recipients of a heritage of virulent racism, sexism, and xenophobia.
Academic text (1992) -
Rainsy has been particularly virulent on the hustings in his denunciation of the Vietnamese ethnic minority in Cambodia.
Academic text (2002) -
Tom Watson's brand of virulent anti-Catholicism persisted, but the Ku Klux Klan quickly eclipsed the Georgia bigot's notoriety.
Academic text (1991)
Synonyms
360
2.5
Feeling or showing strong anger and hurt
22
7.2
Very loud and harsh in a way that feels unpleasant
10
9.3
Harsh, angry words that strongly hurt someone
10
9.9
Saying rude and untrue things to hurt someone's reputation
9
7.4
Being very sharp and unkind in speech or writing
8
8.2
Speech or writing that is harsh and likely to offend people
6
6.3
Showing strong hate and wanting to hurt someone
5
7.0
Very harsh words or writing that attack someone
2
9.9
Using very angry and insulting words to attack someone
2
6.5
Sharp, biting words that can hurt or shock people
1
7.0
Said in a sharp, hurtful way to criticize someone
1
7.5
A harsh, bitter way of speaking that shows anger or criticism
Showing strong hate and trying to hurt someone
Saying harsh, mean things that hurt people
Harsh angry speech or writing that strongly criticizes people
Antonyms
Compounds
- Literature
A very strong angry reaction by many people against someone or something
How Hostile
- Offensive
10
9.3
7
8.4
360
2.5
47
3.9
210
3.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
virulent = virus (semi-transparent) = virul + ent
The hostile or bitter sense is a metaphorical extension from the idea of being poisonous or harmful, so the morphological structure is clear but the meaning has shifted.
Etymology
Virulent comes from the Latin virus meaning 'poison', so a virulent attack in speech is like a 'poisonous' attack — very harsh, bitter, or full of hate.