an·ti·vi·ral
ˌan-tē-ˈvī-rəl 
ˌan-tī-
: an antiviral agent and especially a drug
antivirals used in treating influenza
Examples of antiviral in a Sentence
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Daryl Austin, USA Today, 25 May 2025
Immunization Offers the Best Protection The measles vaccine is highly effective and safe, and because there are no antiviral medications to treat measles, immunization is the best protection, according to Chin-Hong.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 13 May 2025
Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 1 May 2025
There are no antivirals or treatments specifically indicated for measles.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025
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Adjective
Antibiotics only treat bacterial forms of pneumonia, however, and antiviral medications are used to treat viral forms for the disease, Diuguid-Gerber explains.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 25 May 2025
Immunization Offers the Best Protection The measles vaccine is highly effective and safe, and because there are no antiviral medications to treat measles, immunization is the best protection, according to Chin-Hong.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 13 May 2025
Noun
While budesonide can help with lung inflammation and clarithromycin can fight off co-infections from other germs, Campbell cautioned that neither were antivirals for fighting the measles virus infection itself.
—Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 1 May 2025
There are no antivirals or treatments specifically indicated for measles.
—Joseph Choi, The Hill, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for antiviral
Cite this Entry
“Antiviral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antiviral. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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