immunize

verb

im·​mu·​nize ˈi-myə-ˌnīz 

immunized; immunizing; immunizes

transitive verb

: 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

Budding novelists immunize themselves against rejection by recalling rebuffs endured by even the most successful novelists …

—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

… immunizing as many citizens as possible before an outbreak makes sense …

—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

Ahead of a pledging moment to be co-hosted by the European Commission and the Gates Foundation in March, Gavi seeks $9 billion for the next five years to immunize 500 million more children. —Michael Sheldrick, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025

Biden quickly announced a plan to immunize 100 million Americans over the next three months. —Arthur Daemmrich, The Conversation, 17 Jan. 2025

Cold and flu season is here, and Michigan health officials are encouraging residents get immunized now amid National Influenza Vaccination Week. —Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 2 Dec. 2024

This is important during active epidemics when public-health officials are widely immunizing people, while at the same time trying to isolate infectious individuals. —Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Kids 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

ˈim-yə-ˌnīz 

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

immunization

ˌi-myə-nə-ˈzā-shən 

noun