immunity
noun
im·mu·ni·ty
i-ˈmyü-nə-tē 
plural immunities
: the quality or state of being immune
especially
: a condition of being able to resist a particular disease especially through preventing development of a pathogenic microorganism or by counteracting the effects of its products see also active immunity, passive immunity
Examples of immunity in a Sentence
They have developed immunity to the virus.
They have developed an immunity to the virus.
Recent Examples on the Web
But while our bodies can develop immunity to viruses, even the savviest of travelers can fall victim to pickpockets on their travels.
—
Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
And he's empowered by an immunity decision by the Supreme Court.
—ABC News, 26 Oct. 2025
After the court suspended several of Noboa’s security policies, including immunity for law enforcement, Noboa personally led a march through the streets of Quito.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
If a bird flu virus gains a seasonal flu’s ability to easily infect humans, the result could be a novel pandemic disease—one to which people would have no existing immunity and that, scientists fear, would have an even higher mortality rate than COVID did during its initial emergence.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for immunity
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.
Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2025
And he's empowered by an immunity decision by the Supreme Court.
—ABC News, 26 Oct. 2025
After the court suspended several of Noboa’s security policies, including immunity for law enforcement, Noboa personally led a march through the streets of Quito.
—Max Saltman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
If a bird flu virus gains a seasonal flu’s ability to easily infect humans, the result could be a novel pandemic disease—one to which people would have no existing immunity and that, scientists fear, would have an even higher mortality rate than COVID did during its initial emergence.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for immunity
Cite this Entry
“Immunity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immunity. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
immunity
noun
im·mu·ni·ty
im-ˈyü-nət-ē
plural immunities
2
: bodily power to resist an infectious disease that usually results from vaccination or inoculation, a previous attack of the disease, or a natural resistance
Medical Definition
immunity
noun
im·mu·ni·ty
im-ˈyü-nət-ē
plural immunities
: the quality or state of being immune
especially
: a condition of being able to resist a particular disease especially through preventing development of a pathogenic microorganism or by counteracting the effects of its products see acquired immunity, active immunity, natural immunity, passive immunity
Legal Definition
immunity
noun
im·mu·ni·ty
i-ˈmyü-nə-tē
plural immunities
1
: exemption from a duty or liability that is granted by law to a person or class of persons
a defendant may not take the stand in his own behalf and then claim immunity from cross-examination—W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
also
: the affirmative defense of having such an exemption
—
absolute immunity
: immunity from all personal civil liability without limits or conditions (as a requirement of good faith) compare qualified immunity in this entry
—
charitable immunity
: immunity from civil liability especially for negligent torts that is granted to a charitable or nonprofit organization (as a hospital)
—
constitutional immunity
: immunity (as from a tax) that is granted or created by a constitution (as the U.S. Constitution)
—
corporate immunity
: immunity from personal liability for tortious acts that is granted to an officer of a corporation who acted in good faith and within the course of his or her duties see also business judgment rule compare pierce
—
diplomatic immunity
: immunity (as from taxes or prosecution) granted to a diplomat
—
discretionary immunity
: qualified immunity from civil liability for tortious acts or omissions that arise from a government employee's discretionary acts performed as part of the employee's duties see also the Federal Tort Claims Act
Note: The Federal Tort Claims Act includes an additional requirement of acting in good faith for the discretionary immunity granted to the federal government.
—
executive immunity
: immunity granted to officers of the executive branch of government from personal liability for tortious acts or omissions done in the course of carrying out their duties
Note: While the president's executive immunity is absolute, the immunity of other federal executive officials is qualified.
—
governmental immunity
: discretionary immunity granted to a governmental unit (as an agency) or its employees
broadly
: sovereign immunity in this entry
—
judicial immunity
: absolute immunity from civil liability that is granted to judges and other court officers (as prosecutors and grand juries) and quasi-judicial officials for tortious acts or omissions done within the scope of their jurisdiction or authority
—
legislative immunity
: absolute immunity from civil liability that is granted to legislators for tortious acts or omissions done in the course of legislative activities see also speech or debate clause
—
official immunity
: discretionary immunity from personal liability that is granted to public officers for tortious acts and omissions compare governmental immunity in this entry
—
qualified immunity
: immunity from civil liability that is conditioned or limited (as by a requirement of good faith or due care)
specifically
: official immunity from damages for acts that violate another's civil rights that is granted if it can be shown that the acts do not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would be aware see also Civil Rights Act
—
sovereign immunity
: the absolute immunity of a sovereign government (as a state) from being sued see also Federal Tort Claims Act
Note: For an action to be brought against a state or the federal government, sovereign immunity must be waived by the government.
—
transactional immunity
\
tran-ˈzak-shə-nəl-, -ˈsak-
\
: immunity from criminal prosecution granted to a witness for an offense related to his or her compelled testimony see also use immunity in this entry
—
use immunity
: immunity granted to a witness in a criminal case that prevents the use of the witness's compelled testimony against that witness in a criminal prosecution
Note: Transactional and use immunity are granted to preserve the constitutional protection against self-incrimination. The states grant either form of this immunity, while the federal government grants only use immunity. A witness with use immunity may still be prosecuted, but only based on evidence not gathered from the protected testimony.
2
: a usually statutory prohibition that excludes specific documents or information from discovery
called also discovery immunity
Etymology
Latin immunitas, from immunis exempt from public service, exempt, from in- non- + -munis (from munia services)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share