inoculation
noun
in·oc·u·la·tion
i-ˌnä-kyə-ˈlā-shən 
1
: the act or process or an instance of inoculating
especially
: the introduction of a pathogen or antigen into a living organism to stimulate the production of antibodies
2
: inoculum
Examples of inoculation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With the recommendation, the government can finally distribute Covid-19 vaccines through its Vaccines for Children program, which provides free inoculations to about half of US children.
—
Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
With the recommendation, the government can finally distribute Covid-19 vaccines through its Vaccines for Children program which provides free inoculations to about half of US children.
—Cnn.com, Mercury News, 6 Oct. 2025
Everything about me—my careful disclaimers, my refusal to claim desire, my constant return to limits and boundaries—is an inoculation against liability.
—Gary Greenberg, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
Although his role is often downplayed, an African man known as Onesimus introduced his enslaver Cotton Mather to inoculation.
—Stacie Kershner, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoculation
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Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
With the recommendation, the government can finally distribute Covid-19 vaccines through its Vaccines for Children program which provides free inoculations to about half of US children.
—Cnn.com, Mercury News, 6 Oct. 2025
Everything about me—my careful disclaimers, my refusal to claim desire, my constant return to limits and boundaries—is an inoculation against liability.
—Gary Greenberg, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
Although his role is often downplayed, an African man known as Onesimus introduced his enslaver Cotton Mather to inoculation.
—Stacie Kershner, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoculation
Cite this Entry
“Inoculation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inoculation. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inoculation
noun
in·oc·u·la·tion
in-ˌäk-yə-ˈlā-shən
1
: the act or an instance of inoculating
2
: material used in inoculating
Medical Definition
inoculation
noun
in·oc·u·la·tion
in-ˌäk-yə-ˈlā-shən
1
: the act or process or an instance of inoculating: as
a
: the introduction of a microorganism into a medium suitable for its growth
b(1)
: the introduction of a pathogen or antigen into a living organism to stimulate the production of antibodies
(2)
: the introduction of a vaccine or serum into a living organism to confer immunity
travelers in the tropics should have typhoid inoculations
2
: inoculum
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