vaccinate

verb

vac·ci·nate ˈvak-sə-ˌnāt

vaccinated; vaccinating

transitive verb

: to administer a vaccine to usually by injection

intransitive verb

: to perform or practice vaccination

vaccinator

ˈvak-sə-ˌnā-tər

noun

Examples of vaccinate in a Sentence

We vaccinate all the animals that come to our shelter.

Recent Examples on the Web For You Experts say that flying does not pose a serious risk for infections, especially if you are vaccinated and practice good hand hygiene. —

Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 20 Nov. 2023 Carter pushed forward a slate of issues while in the White House, including federal support for nationwide vaccine programs and laws to ensure children are vaccinated before kindergarten. —

Anumita Kaur, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023 Among children ages 6 months to 17 years, about 32.6% have been vaccinated, also down a bit from this time last year. —

Helen Branswell, STAT, 17 Nov. 2023 But flu activity is increasing as the holiday season approaches, and officials largely recommend everyone age 6 months and older, especially older adults and those with weakened immune systems, get vaccinated. —

Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 15 Nov. 2023 But Schaffner said some Americans just need a bit of a push to get vaccinated. —

Julia Landwehr, Health, 14 Nov. 2023 But Escobar says efforts to vaccinate bats should proceed with caution. —

Emily Mullin, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2023 In an interview with CBS News, Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said this is the best window to get vaccinated to protect yourself and your family for the holiday. —

Michael George, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2023 Why answering this question is essential for post-pandemic life March 20, 2023 L.A. County’s latest health order is similar to one issued annually from 2013 until the pandemic began, which required healthcare workers either get vaccinated against flu or wear masks when in patient care areas. —

Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vaccinate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "to inoculate with fluid from a cowpox pustule," back-formation from vaccination; in later extended sense, in part borrowed from French vacciner, verbal derivative of vaccin vaccine

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler

The first known use of vaccinate was in 1882

See more words from the same year