inoculation

noun

in·​oc·​u·​la·​tion i-ˌnä-kyə-ˈlā-shən 

1

: the act or process or an instance of inoculating

especially : the introduction of a pathogen or antigen into a living organism to stimulate the production of antibodies

2

: inoculum

Examples of inoculation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Proximity to the president is seen by some advisors as the surest inoculation — preemptive compliance (see Apple or Chevron) can forestall an abrupt reaction from the administration. —Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Half of newborns will get the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, while the other half would get the inoculation later as part of other routine vaccinations given at 6, 10 and 14 weeks old. —Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 22 Jan. 2026

But health experts say states such as Florida are already moving in the wrong direction, and this week’s changes to the vaccine schedule, reducing the number of shots recommended for children from 17 to 11, could encourage other states to take a step back from their mandatory inoculations. —Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 9 Jan. 2026

If more American parents opt out of the inoculations that the federal government no longer recommends, harm will inevitably come to pass. —Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for inoculation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

inoculation

noun

in·​oc·​u·​la·​tion in-ˌäk-yə-ˈlā-shən 

1

: the act or an instance of inoculating

2

: material used in inoculating

Medical Definition

inoculation

noun

in·​oc·​u·​la·​tion in-ˌäk-yə-ˈlā-shən 

1

: the act or process or an instance of inoculating: as

a

: the introduction of a microorganism into a medium suitable for its growth

b(1)

: the introduction of a pathogen or antigen into a living organism to stimulate the production of antibodies

(2)

: the introduction of a vaccine or serum into a living organism to confer immunity

travelers in the tropics should have typhoid inoculations

2

: inoculum