anti-vaccine
adjective
anti-vac·cine
ˌan-tē-vak-ˈsēn 
ˌan-ˌtī-
ˌan-ˌtī-
-ˈvak-ˌsēn
variants
or less commonly antivaccine
: opposed to the use of vaccines
A handful of parents and anti-vaccine activists told lawmakers … that they believe vaccines are responsible for countless cases of autism, learning disabilities and death.—
Jim Hughes
Jim Hughes… the rising global threat of antivaccine sentiments and vaccine misinformation contributed to the WHO [=World Health Organization] classifying vaccine hesitancy as a top ten global health threat in 2019 …—David M. Higgins and Sean T. O'Leary
David M. Higgins and Sean T. O'LearyExamples of anti-vaccine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Last year, Kennedy also dismissed the entirety of the agency’s independent vaccine-advisory group, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and replaced it with a more anti-vaccine cohort.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The decision in January made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent to kneecap our national vaccine schedule — cutting protection against 17 diseases down to 10 — is a dangerous decision that puts anti-vaccine ideology ahead of the well-being of children and families.
—Dr. Rahul K. Parikh, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Health and medical experts find Kennedy controversial because of his longtime anti-vaccine beliefs, including a claim widely debunked by medical research that vaccines cause autism.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
Means said anti-vaccine rhetoric has never been a part of her message.
—CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
However, aluminum salts have been a target of many anti-vaccine activists.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 24 Feb. 2026
Kennedy then selected new members, many of whom have expressed anti-vaccine views that echo Kennedy’s.
—Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Her dismissal triggered the resignations of four senior CDC officials, including Houry and Jernigan, who cited anti-vaccine policies and misinformation pushed by Kennedy.
—USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Misinformation and conspiracy theories about the public health system also spread during the pandemic, and longtime anti-vaccine activist groups saw a swell in interest from the wider public.
—Matt Brown, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
The decision in January made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent to kneecap our national vaccine schedule — cutting protection against 17 diseases down to 10 — is a dangerous decision that puts anti-vaccine ideology ahead of the well-being of children and families.
—Dr. Rahul K. Parikh, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Health and medical experts find Kennedy controversial because of his longtime anti-vaccine beliefs, including a claim widely debunked by medical research that vaccines cause autism.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
Means said anti-vaccine rhetoric has never been a part of her message.
—CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
However, aluminum salts have been a target of many anti-vaccine activists.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 24 Feb. 2026
Kennedy then selected new members, many of whom have expressed anti-vaccine views that echo Kennedy’s.
—Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Her dismissal triggered the resignations of four senior CDC officials, including Houry and Jernigan, who cited anti-vaccine policies and misinformation pushed by Kennedy.
—USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Misinformation and conspiracy theories about the public health system also spread during the pandemic, and longtime anti-vaccine activist groups saw a swell in interest from the wider public.
—Matt Brown, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anti-vaccine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-vaccine. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
