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Showing results for herpes simplex. Search instead for herpessepsis.
Definitions

herpes simplex

[hur-peez sim-pleks] / ˈhɜr piz ˈsɪm plɛks /
NOUN
canker sore
Synonyms
WEAK
canker cold sore fever blister herpes labialis lesion oral herpes
NOUN
cold sore
Synonyms
WEAK
canker canker sore fever blister herpes labialis lesion oral herpes
NOUN
sexually transmitted disease
Synonyms
STRONGEST
AIDS acquired immune deficiency syndrome gonorrhea herpes syphilis the clap venereal disease
WEAK
HIV SIDA STD VD chancroid chlamydia clap crab louse crabs genital herpes genital warts scabies social disease tabes dorsalis

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It is based on a modified herpes simplex virus that has been engineered to replicate only inside glioblastoma cells, leaving healthy tissue unaffected.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

In Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 2020, as in other military towns across the U.S., rates of sexually transmitted infections like syphilis, herpes simplex and HIV are among the highest in the country.

From Salon • Jul. 20, 2025

It’s been associated with infections such as the herpes simplex virus and Epstein-Barr virus, as well as Lyme disease and autoimmune disorders.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 26, 2024

The viruses—usually benign varieties such as the herpes simplex viruses and adenoviruses that are often modified to make them safer and more potent—can reproduce in tumor cells but not in healthy cells.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 4, 2023

Deaths caused by HSV-1 - herpes simplex 1 - are almost unheard of in healthy people.

From BBC • Jul. 26, 2023