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

Pregnant people are also more susceptible to severe COVID outcomes because of a dampened immune response, designed to keep their bodies from attacking the fetus. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 26 Sep. 2025

Sepsis develops when an infection triggers a harmful immune response. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025

Today, children under age 2 get vaccinated against 15 diseases, but today's more sophisticated vaccine designs include just 180 antigens, making the protection more targeted and reducing the risk of errant immune responses. —ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025

But another type of immune response, called mucosal immunity, occurs only at points of entry into the body. —Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 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