vaccine hesitancy
noun
plural vaccine hesitancies
: the reluctance or refusal to have oneself or one's children vaccinated
Vaccine hesitancy can contribute to the continued spread of disease because vaccinations are not being administered.—
Fred Steiner
Fred SteinerScientists are expressing concern over what they call "vaccine hesitancy" regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.—Katie Camero
Katie CameroWHO [World Health Organization] notes that measles cases have increased by 30 percent across the globe, and while not all cases are due to vaccine hesitancies, some countries that had nearly eliminated the disease have seen its return.—Katie Gillespie
Katie GillespieExamples of vaccine hesitancy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Vaccines continue to be a polarizing topic in America, with vaccine hesitancy continuing to soar.
—Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
The Trump administration has cut $2.3 billion in new grant funding since its term began, as well as terminated existing grants on a wide range of topics — vaccine hesitancy, HIV/AIDS, and covid-19 — that do not align with its priorities.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
Infectious disease experts worry that comments from Secretary for Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has offered mixed messages about the severity of the disease and the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, may further exacerbate vaccine hesitancy.
—Jason Lange, USA Today, 15 May 2025
Adams zeroed in on vaccination as his top public health concern, noting that the National Institutes of Health recently canceled more than 40 studies of vaccine hesitancy.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
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Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
The Trump administration has cut $2.3 billion in new grant funding since its term began, as well as terminated existing grants on a wide range of topics — vaccine hesitancy, HIV/AIDS, and covid-19 — that do not align with its priorities.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
Infectious disease experts worry that comments from Secretary for Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has offered mixed messages about the severity of the disease and the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, may further exacerbate vaccine hesitancy.
—Jason Lange, USA Today, 15 May 2025
Adams zeroed in on vaccination as his top public health concern, noting that the National Institutes of Health recently canceled more than 40 studies of vaccine hesitancy.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vaccine hesitancy
Cite this Entry
“Vaccine hesitancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaccine%20hesitancy. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
vaccine hesitancy
noun
: the reluctance or refusal to have oneself or one's children vaccinated
Scientists are expressing concern over what they call "vaccine hesitancy" regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.—Katie Camero, The Miami Herald
Katie Camero, The Miami HeraldReasons for vaccine hesitancy fit into 3 categories: lack of confidence (in effectiveness, safety, the system, or policy makers), complacency (perceived low risk of acquiring VPDs [vaccine preventable diseases]), and lack of convenience …—Shixin Shen and Vinita Dubey, Canadian Family Physician
Shixin Shen and Vinita Dubey, Canadian Family PhysicianWHO [World Health Organization] notes that measles cases have increased by 30 percent across the globe, and while not all cases are due to vaccine hesitancies, some countries that had nearly eliminated the disease have seen its return.—Katie Gillespie, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington)
Katie Gillespie, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington)Love words? Need even more definitions?
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