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

… a highly specific immunosuppressant that prevents patients from rejecting transplanted tissue.

—Barry Werth

immunosuppressant adjective

immunosuppressant drugs

Examples of immunosuppressant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Rapamycin is an immunosuppressant often used in organ transplant patients, but it has also been shown to extend life in animals, including flies and mice. —Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

immuno- + suppressant, after immunosuppression

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for immunosuppressant

• chemiluminescent
• immunofluorescent
• thermoluminescent
• acquiescent
• adolescent
• arborescent
• coalescent
• convalescent
• deliquescent
• effervescent
• evanescent
• incandescent

Medical 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

immunosuppressant

2 of 2 adjective

: immunosuppressive

immunosuppressant effects