acellular
adjective
acel·lu·lar
(ˌ)ā-ˈsel-yə-lər 
1
: containing no cells
acellular vaccines
2
: not divided into cells : consisting of a single complex cell
—used especially of protozoa and ciliates
Examples of acellular in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And some vaccines are combination shots, knocking out three or four diseases with one injection, such as the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine or the Diphtheria, tetanus, & acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine.
—
ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent data from the CDC shows the vaccinations rates for kindergarteners in the 2024-2025 school year continued to decline, with a dip to 92.1 percent for the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine and to 92.5 percent for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and polio shot.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
In seventh grade, students must also get a dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis).
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Rates for the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine otherwise known as the DTaP vaccine have fallen from 94.9% in 2019-2020 to 92.3% in 2023-2024 to 92.1% this past school year.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
At the time, three childhood vaccines contained thimerosal: the diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP), hepatitis B and type b (Hib) vaccines.
—Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 25 June 2025
Today’s whooping cough vaccines contain an acellular pertussis component, which is derived from inactive parts of the bacterium that causes whooping cough, Bordetella pertussis, per CDC.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
The acellular vaccine is still an effective vaccine.
—Melissa Dahl, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2025
One is that cases are more commonly occurring in older kids and adults in whom the less reactive acellular pertussis vaccines have replaced older, original whole-cell pertussis vaccines.
—Judy Stone, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
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ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent data from the CDC shows the vaccinations rates for kindergarteners in the 2024-2025 school year continued to decline, with a dip to 92.1 percent for the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine and to 92.5 percent for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and polio shot.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 4 Sep. 2025
In seventh grade, students must also get a dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis).
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Rates for the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine otherwise known as the DTaP vaccine have fallen from 94.9% in 2019-2020 to 92.3% in 2023-2024 to 92.1% this past school year.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
At the time, three childhood vaccines contained thimerosal: the diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP), hepatitis B and type b (Hib) vaccines.
—Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 25 June 2025
Today’s whooping cough vaccines contain an acellular pertussis component, which is derived from inactive parts of the bacterium that causes whooping cough, Bordetella pertussis, per CDC.
—Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
The acellular vaccine is still an effective vaccine.
—Melissa Dahl, NBC News, 22 Feb. 2025
One is that cases are more commonly occurring in older kids and adults in whom the less reactive acellular pertussis vaccines have replaced older, original whole-cell pertussis vaccines.
—Judy Stone, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Acellular.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acellular. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
acellular
adjective
acel·lu·lar
(ˈ)ā-ˈsel-yə-lər
: not made up of cells
Medical Definition
acellular
adjective
acel·lu·lar
(ˈ)ā-ˈsel-yə-lər
1
: containing no cells
acellular vaccines
2
: not divided into cells : consisting of a single complex cell
—used especially of protozoans and ciliates
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