immunosuppressant
noun
im·mu·no·sup·pres·sant
ˌi-myə-nō-sə-ˈpre-sᵊnt 
i-ˌmyü-nō-
plural immunosuppressants
: an agent (such as a drug) that suppresses the immune response
The drug was a strong immunosuppressant and was lowering the rats' T-cell counts, making them more vulnerable to infections.—
Chip Brown
Chip Brown… a highly specific immunosuppressant that prevents patients from rejecting transplanted tissue.—Barry Werth
Barry Werth
immunosuppressant
adjective
immunosuppressant drugs
Examples of immunosuppressant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The immunosuppressant and cancer drug rapamycin, to cite just one of countless examples, came from a microbe genome.
—IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025
Named after the island’s Indigenous name, Rapa Nui, the drug rapamycin was initially developed as an immunosuppressant to prevent organ transplant rejection and to improve the efficacy of stents to treat coronary artery disease.
—Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
First-line therapy usually includes hydroxychloroquine, with steroids or immunosuppressants added if needed, but finding the right regimen takes time, experts say.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Certain health conditions, including liver disease, cancer, diabetes or HIV, or immunosuppressants, raise the risk for severe illness.
—Mollye Barrows, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for immunosuppressant
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IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025
Named after the island’s Indigenous name, Rapa Nui, the drug rapamycin was initially developed as an immunosuppressant to prevent organ transplant rejection and to improve the efficacy of stents to treat coronary artery disease.
—Ted Powers, The Conversation, 29 Sep. 2025
First-line therapy usually includes hydroxychloroquine, with steroids or immunosuppressants added if needed, but finding the right regimen takes time, experts say.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Certain health conditions, including liver disease, cancer, diabetes or HIV, or immunosuppressants, raise the risk for severe illness.
—Mollye Barrows, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for immunosuppressant
Cite this Entry
“Immunosuppressant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immunosuppressant. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
immunosuppressant
1 of 2 noun
im·mu·no·sup·pres·sant
-sə-ˈpres-ᵊnt
: an agent (such as a drug) that suppresses the immune response
The experiments focused on the use of cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant widely used in human kidney, heart-lung, bone marrow, pancreas and liver transplants.—Science News
Science Newsimmunosuppressant
2 of 2 adjective
: immunosuppressive
immunosuppressant effects
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