antiviral

1 of 2

adjective

an·​ti·​vi·​ral ˌan-tē-ˈvī-rəl 

ˌan-tī-

1

medical : acting, effective, or directed against viruses

an antiviral vaccine/drug

2

: used to protect a computer from viruses : antivirus

antiviral software

antiviral

2 of 2

noun

: an antiviral agent and especially a drug

antivirals used in treating influenza

Examples of antiviral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

All were successfully treated with an antiviral medication. —Brenda Goodman, CNN, 11 June 2024

Treatments, including the antiviral drug Paxlovid, are also available and are effective tools for preventing severe COVID, especially among adults aged 65 or older and other individuals who are at high risk of hospitalization from the disease. —Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 5 June 2024

Noun

The patient was treated with antivirals and is isolating at home. —Carmel Wroth, NPR, 30 May 2024

Officials say the risk to the general public is still low, and the farmworker who tested positive was given antivirals and is currently recovering from respiratory symptoms, including a cough and eye discomfort with a watery discharge. —Sara Powers, CBS News, 30 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1959, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

antiviral

1 of 2 adjective

an·​ti·​vi·​ral -ˈvi-rəl 

variants also antivirus

-rəs 

: acting, effective, or directed against viruses

antiviral drugs

antiviral

2 of 2 noun

: an antiviral agent and especially a drug