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
In 2023 alone, Gavi assisted in immunizing 69 million children against diseases, including measles, diphtheria and cholera.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
For example, New Delhi’s effort to conduct some of its bilateral trades in local currencies rather than the U.S. dollar, although intended to immunize India against U.S. sanctions on third countries, could provoke a nationalist U.S. administration to limit cooperation with India.
—Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
That could lead to recommendations that restrict who is eligible for different vaccinations or give much more leeway for individuals to decide whether to get immunized, Maniar said.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 10 June 2025
In his ruling on Monday, Liman found that the initial claims — first made in a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department and shared with the Times — were covered by the litigation privilege, which immunizes legal claims from defamation actions.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for immunize
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Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
For example, New Delhi’s effort to conduct some of its bilateral trades in local currencies rather than the U.S. dollar, although intended to immunize India against U.S. sanctions on third countries, could provoke a nationalist U.S. administration to limit cooperation with India.
—Ashley J. Tellis, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025
That could lead to recommendations that restrict who is eligible for different vaccinations or give much more leeway for individuals to decide whether to get immunized, Maniar said.
—Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 10 June 2025
In his ruling on Monday, Liman found that the initial claims — first made in a complaint to the California Civil Rights Department and shared with the Times — were covered by the litigation privilege, which immunizes legal claims from defamation actions.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for immunize
Cite this Entry
“Immunize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immunize. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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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