immune response

noun

: a bodily response to an antigen that occurs when lymphocytes identify the antigenic molecule as foreign and induce the formation of antibodies and lymphocytes capable of reacting with it and rendering it harmless

called also immune reaction

Examples of immune response in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On board with the four crew members will be a slew of tools that can be used to evaluate the their cognition, sleep, stress, immune responses and cardiovascular health. —Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025

Municipalization—the process by which utilities came under public control—was a popular movement at the time, a sort of immune response to the immense power of the utility trusts that predated the New Deal. —Nick Bowlin, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

Aluminum salts are added to vaccines to help boost the body’s immune response, allowing for a smaller dose to be used. —Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 26 Dec. 2025

Histotripsy generally seems to stimulate an immune response, helping the body attack cancer cells that weren’t targeted directly by ultrasound. —IEEE Spectrum, 22 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for immune response

• bons
• hans
• launce
• nonce
• sconce
• esperance
• nonchalance
• nonresponse
• renaissance
• naissance

Kids Definition

immune response

noun

: a bodily response to a foreign substance, cell, or tissue that involves the formation of antibodies and cells capable of reacting with it and rendering it harmless

called also immune reaction

Medical Definition

immune response

noun

: a bodily response to an antigen that occurs when lymphocytes identify the antigenic molecule as foreign and induce the formation of antibodies and lymphocytes capable of reacting with it and rendering it harmless

called also immune reaction