immunize
verb
im·mu·nize
ˈi-myə-ˌnīz 
immunized; immunizing; immunizes
: to make (someone or something) immune to something : to provide with protection against or immunity from something
… the investigation has been slowed by the refusal of seven former and current Hughes officials to cooperate unless immunized from prosecution.—
Andy Pasztor and Rick Wartzman
Andy Pasztor and Rick WartzmanBudding novelists immunize themselves against rejection by recalling rebuffs endured by even the most successful novelists …—Edwin McDowell
Edwin McDowell
specifically
: to make (a living organism) immune or resistant to a disease or pathogenic agent especially by inoculation : to create immunity in (as with a vaccine)
Measles can be almost completely controlled when adequate numbers of people within a population are immunized. —Scientific American Medicine
Scientific American Medicine … immunizing as many citizens as possible before an outbreak makes sense … —Shannon Brownlee
Shannon Brownlee Examples of immunize in a Sentence
Many people had to be immunized after being exposed to the disease.
Recent Examples on the Web
No president could have immunized himself against the law, licensing himself to establish a dictatorship, take bribes or kill — but six extremist Supreme Court justices could and did.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2024
Every person who’s immunized against seasonal flu is less likely to be a mixing vessel for some new nightmare Frankenflu.
—Keren Landman, Vox, 10 Sep. 2024
Gavi has unveiled an ambitious five-year plan to immunize 500 million children and save 8 million more lives by 2030.
—Jennifer Lotito, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
Last year, uninsured adults were able to get free vaccines through the federal Bridge Access Program, where people could get immunized at federally qualified health centers, as well as CVS and Walgreens.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for immunize 
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Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2024
Every person who’s immunized against seasonal flu is less likely to be a mixing vessel for some new nightmare Frankenflu.
—Keren Landman, Vox, 10 Sep. 2024
Gavi has unveiled an ambitious five-year plan to immunize 500 million children and save 8 million more lives by 2030.
—Jennifer Lotito, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
Last year, uninsured adults were able to get free vaccines through the federal Bridge Access Program, where people could get immunized at federally qualified health centers, as well as CVS and Walgreens.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for immunize
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Dictionary Entries Near immunize
Cite this Entry
“Immunize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immunize. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
immunize
verb
im·mu·nize
ˈim-yə-ˌnīz
immunized; immunizing
: to make immune
have been immunized against polio
Medical Definition
immunize
transitive verb
im·mu·nize
variants
also British immunise
immunized also British immunised; immunizing also British immunising
: to make immune
Legal Definition
immunize
transitive verb
im·mu·nize
ˈi-myə-ˌnīz
immunized; immunizing
: to grant immunity to
the ultimately ill-fated effort to immunize state judges from the burdens of the federal income tax—J. K. Owens
J. K. OwensLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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