English vocabulary · B2
Viral
/ˈvaɪ.rəl/ · adj.
It means spreading very fast from person to person — like a virus. When something goes viral, millions of people see it in hours.
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Example sentences
- The funny cat video went viral overnight.
- Her song went viral after one famous person shared it.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- vir — poison (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- TRENDING — rising in popularity (Fast & Right Now)
- POPULAR — known by many people (Widely Liked)
- CONTAGIOUS — passing easily to others (Spreads by Contact)
Words with the same root
vir — poison
- virus — tiny harmful thing that spreads
- antiviral — fighting against a virus
- virulent — very harmful and fast-spreading
Lesson notes
Viral. It means spreading very fast from person to person — like a virus. When something goes viral, millions of people see it in hours.
Similar words are trending, popular, and contagious. Use viral when something spreads online at a very fast speed.
The funny cat video went viral overnight. Her song went viral after one famous person shared it.
From Latin. vir- means poison. A virus spreads by touching people — viral means spreading the same fast way. That is viral.