oncogenic

adjective

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on·co·gen·ic | \ ˌäŋ-kō-ˈje-nik

Definition of oncogenic

1 : relating to tumor formation

2 : tending to cause tumors

Other Words from oncogenic Example Sentences Learn More About oncogenic

Examples of oncogenic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Scientists can’t fully control where in the body its genes are introduced; Bluebird tried to determine whether its gene had been inserted into an oncogenic location—a place with cancer-causing potential. — Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2022 It can also be caused by any number of pathologic or environmental stresses, such as oncogenic (cancer) activation, radiation, inflammation, nutrient deprivation, and exposure to different chemicals. — Gabriel A. Silva, Forbes, 1 Feb. 2022 Alcendor said the active ingredients in vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have not been shown to be oncogenic, or cancer-causing. — Daniel Funke, USA TODAY, 14 May 2021 While some molecular types of HPV can cause genital warts, the oncogenic types rarely cause any symptoms. — Quanta Magazine, 1 July 2021 The pair’s work opened up entirely new avenues of research, including the search for oncogenic viruses in humans. — Leila Mcneill, Smithsonian, 17 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oncogenic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.