vaccinate

verb

vac·​ci·​nate ˈvak-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce vaccinate (audio)
vaccinated; vaccinating

transitive verb

: to administer a vaccine to usually by injection

intransitive verb

: to perform or practice vaccination
vaccinator
ˈvak-sə-ˌnā-tər How to pronounce vaccinate (audio)
noun

Examples of vaccinate in a Sentence

We vaccinate all the animals that come to our shelter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The current recommendations differ from previous guidelines, which advised that anyone six years and older, including pregnant women, should be vaccinated against both flu and COVID every year. — Alice Park, Time, 6 Aug. 2026 Health officials said that people who have been vaccinated against the virus are likely to be protected, as are people who had measles previously. — Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 Interestingly, a greater percentage of the patients who tested negative had been vaccinated during an earlier Ebola outbreak in the region with Merck’s Ervebo vaccine, which protects against the Zaire species of the virus. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 5 Aug. 2026 The shots were extensively tested for safety before they were authorized for emergency use, with the FDA requiring at least two months of follow-up safety data after vaccinating trial participants. — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vaccinate

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

Browse Nearby Words

vaccinal
vaccinate
vaccination
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vaccinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaccinate. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

vaccinate

verb
vac·​ci·​nate ˈvak-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce vaccinate (audio)
vaccinated; vaccinating
: to give a vaccine to usually by injection
vaccinator
-ˌnāt-ər How to pronounce vaccinate (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

vaccinate

1 of 2 verb
vac·​ci·​nate ˈvak-sə-ˌnāt How to pronounce vaccinate (audio)
vaccinated; vaccinating

transitive verb

1
: to inoculate (a person) with cowpox virus in order to produce immunity to smallpox
2
: to administer a vaccine to usually by injection

intransitive verb

: to perform or practice vaccination

More from Merriam-Webster on vaccinate

Nglish: Translation of vaccinate for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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