immunocompromised

adjective

im·​mu·​no·​com·​pro·​mised ˌi-myə-nō-ˈkäm-prə-ˌmīzd 

i-ˌmyü-nō-

variants or less commonly immuno-compromised or immune-compromised

i-ˈmyün-ˈkäm-prə-ˌmīzd 

: having the immune system impaired or weakened (as by drugs or illness)

immunocompromised patients

And fear of vaccines doesn't just potentially harm the children whose parents forgo vaccination but also other kids, as well as immunocompromised adults, by threatening the herd immunity that we rely on to protect the larger population.

—James Poniewozik

Raw shellfish eaters are vulnerable to hepatitis and mild-to-severe gastroenteritis. At greater risk, however, are those who are immunocompromised, pregnant or suffer from liver disease, chronic alcohol abuse, cancer, diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.

—Eating Well

Only recently, the parasite has also been shown to cause illness in human beings, but at first it was believed to affect only immune-compromised patients.

—Melva Weber

Examples of immunocompromised in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Pluralibacter gergoviae is a bacteria that has been linked to respiratory diseases, urinary tract infections, eye infections and sepsis, particularly in immunocompromised people, according to Melbec Microbiology, a microbiology testing company that specializes in cosmetics. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025

Obviously the risk of infection is increased in the immunocompromised and frail. —Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025

And while experts expect this summer wave to stay mild, COVID still poses a risk, especially for the immunocompromised and other medically vulnerable residents. —Cuneyt Dil, Axios, 9 July 2024

At a meeting in December, drugmakers asked US and European regulators to consider adopting new standards for approving new antibody drugs, especially those meant for immunocompromised people. —Emily Mullin, WIRED, 8 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

immuno- + compromised

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for immunocompromised

• noninstitutionalized
• acclimatized
• actualized
• aerosolized
• alphabetized
• aluminized
• anaesthetized
• anesthetized
• annualized
• antagonized
• apologised
• apologized

Kids Definition

immunocompromised

adjective

im·​mu·​no·​com·​pro·​mised ˌim-yə-nō-ˈkäm-prə-ˌmīzd 

im-ˌyü-nō-

: having a weakened immune system

Medical Definition

immunocompromised

adjective

im·​mu·​no·​com·​pro·​mised -ˈkäm-prə-ˌmīzd 

variants also immuno-compromised or immune-compromised

: having the immune system impaired or weakened (as by drugs or illness)

immunocompromised patients