anti-vax

adjective

an·​ti-vax
ˌan-tē-ˈvaks,
ˌan-ˌtī- How to pronounce anti-vax (audio)
variants or less commonly antivax
: anti-vaccination
Aggressive anti-vax campaigns claiming that vaccines are unsafe and can lead to autism—a theory long disproven—drive much of the vaccine hesitancy worldwide.Lily Hyde
The governor, who works hard to straddle the line between being antivax and merely being the friend of the anti-vaxxers, didn't mention the word "vaccine" in his address …News-Journal (Daytona Beach, Florida)

Examples of anti-vax in a Sentence

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.
Senator Bernie Sanders questioned Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about his opposition to childhood vaccinations, highlighting infant onesies with anti-vax slogans sold by Children's Health Defense, a company founded by the Health and Human Services secretary nominee. Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 Whether or not he is confirmed, those high-profile hearings could amount to an advertisement for the anti-vax movement, some fear. Brian Bennett, TIME, 28 Jan. 2025 In some cases, like during the height of the COVID pandemic, wellness influencers used their platforms to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories, including anti-vax sentiment. Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 Along with Andrew Wakefield—who galvanized the modern anti-vax movement with a study that falsely alleged a link between the MMR vaccine and autism, Kennedy is one of the highest-profile figures in the global anti-vaccine movement. Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anti-vax 

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of anti-vax was in 1898

Dictionary Entries Near anti-vax

Cite this Entry

“Anti-vax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anti-vax. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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