immunize
verb
im·mu·nize
ˈi-myə-ˌnīz 
immunized; immunizing; immunizes
: to make (someone or something) immune to something : to provide with protection against or immunity from something
Budding novelists immunize themselves against rejection by recalling rebuffs endured by even the most successful novelists …—
Edwin McDowell
: such as
Edwin McDowell
a
: to exempt from liability
… the investigation has been slowed by the refusal of seven former and current Hughes officials to cooperate unless immunized from prosecution.—Andy Pasztor and Rick Wartzman
Andy Pasztor and Rick Wartzman
b
: to make (a living organism) immune or resistant to a disease or pathogenic agent especially by inoculation : to create immunity in (as with a vaccine)
Measles can be almost completely controlled when adequate numbers of people within a population are immunized.—Scientific American Medicine
Scientific American Medicine… immunizing as many citizens as possible before an outbreak makes sense …—Shannon Brownlee
Shannon BrownleeExamples of immunize in a Sentence
Many people had to be immunized after being exposed to the disease.
Recent Examples on the Web
That said, children are best protected from RSV when they are immunized at the right time.
—Michael Cromer, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
In the years since, Republicans have become substantially more hesitant than Democrats about immunizing their children.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act broadly immunizes online platforms from bad things people say and do on their platforms.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
Inoculation theory proposes that psychological inoculation – analogous to getting a medical vaccination – can immunize people against persuasive attacks.
—Bingbing Zhang, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for immunize
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Michael Cromer, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
In the years since, Republicans have become substantially more hesitant than Democrats about immunizing their children.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act broadly immunizes online platforms from bad things people say and do on their platforms.
—Joseph Morton, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
Inoculation theory proposes that psychological inoculation – analogous to getting a medical vaccination – can immunize people against persuasive attacks.
—Bingbing Zhang, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for immunize
Cite this Entry
“Immunize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immunize. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
immunize
verb
im·mu·nize
ˈim-yə-ˌnīz
immunized; immunizing
: to make immune
have been immunized against polio
Medical Definition
immunize
transitive verb
im·mu·nize
variants
also British immunise
immunized also British immunised; immunizing also British immunising
: to make immune
Legal Definition
immunize
transitive verb
im·mu·nize
ˈi-myə-ˌnīz
immunized; immunizing
: to grant immunity to
the ultimately ill-fated effort to immunize state judges from the burdens of the federal income tax—J. K. Owens
J. K. OwensLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
