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
Kennedy was a leading anti-vaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official.
—Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine activist before becoming the nation's top health official, fired the entire 17-member panel last year and replaced it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices.
—Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2026
The idea that our Secretary of Health could be someone who is a leading anti-vaccine advocate and to put in place at the federal level an advisory committee stacked with anti-vaccine advocates endangered the health of children in America.
—Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
The decision is a setback for Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist who promised to restore trust in the public health agencies, but whose controversial policies have created confusion among pediatricians and contributed to more distrust of childhood vaccination, experts say.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 16 Mar. 2026
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
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Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Kennedy, a leading anti-vaccine activist before becoming the nation's top health official, fired the entire 17-member panel last year and replaced it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices.
—Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2026
The idea that our Secretary of Health could be someone who is a leading anti-vaccine advocate and to put in place at the federal level an advisory committee stacked with anti-vaccine advocates endangered the health of children in America.
—Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
The decision is a setback for Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist who promised to restore trust in the public health agencies, but whose controversial policies have created confusion among pediatricians and contributed to more distrust of childhood vaccination, experts say.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 16 Mar. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Anti-vaccine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-vaccine. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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