Vaccinate - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

SKIP TO CONTENT vaccinate /ˌvæksəˈneɪt/ /ˈvæksɪneɪt/ IPA guide

Other forms: vaccinated; vaccinating; vaccinates

To vaccinate is to immunize someone against a disease. Babies are usually vaccinated against many diseases soon after birth.

A vaccine is a type of medicine that makes you resistant (immune) to a disease like polio. To give someone such a medicine is to vaccinate them. You can use this word in a few ways. A doctor is usually the person who vaccinates a child (or older person) by administering a vaccine. You can also say the parents have vaccinated their children by making the decision to do so. Animals can be vaccinated too, like dogs are vaccinated against rabies.

Definitions of vaccinate
  1. verb perform vaccinations or produce immunity in by inoculation “We vaccinate against scarlet fever” “The nurse vaccinated the children in the school” synonyms: immunise, immunize, inoculate see moresee less type of: inject, shoot give an injection to
Cite this entry Style: MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
Copy citation DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘vaccinate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback Word Family

Vocabulary lists containing vaccinate

view more about the vocabulary list "Laws are not the only way to boost immunization”: an editorial from Nature view more about the vocabulary list Excerpts from "Jacobson v. Massachusetts" view more about the vocabulary list An Explanation of Herd Immunity from "On Immunity" by Eula Biss MORE VOCABULARY LISTS 2 million people are mastering new words. Master a word

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.

Get started Learn with us
  • Learner subscriptions
  • Vocabulary lists
  • Dictionary
  • Test Prep
  • Join a Vocabulary Jam
  • Commonly confused words
  • Word of the day
Teach with us
  • For educators
  • For schools and districts
  • How it works
  • Success stories
  • Research
  • Professional development
  • Contact sales
Resources
  • Help articles/FAQ
  • Teaching resources
  • Learner resources
  • ESL/ELL resources
  • Grade level resources
  • IPA Pronunciation
  • Contact support
Leaderboards
  • Vocabulary Bowl
  • Today's leaders
  • Weekly leaders
  • Monthly leaders
About
  • Our Mission
  • Blog
  • Tell us what you think
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
My Account Log in Sign up
    My Account
  • Log Out
  • My Learning
  • My Proficiency Report
  • My Profile
  • Schools & Teachers
  • My Classes
  • Assignments & Activities
  • My Lists
    • Find a List to Learn...
    • Create a New List...
  • My Progress
    • Words I'm Learning
    • My Trouble Words
    • Words I've Mastered
    • My Achievements
  • User Administration
  • User Authentication
  • My Account
IXL Learning

Comprehensive K-12 personalized learning

Rosetta Stone

Immersive learning for 25 languages

Wyzant

Trusted tutors ready to help in 300+ subjects

Education.com

35,000 worksheets, games, and lesson plans

TPT

Marketplace for millions of educator-created resources

ABCya

Fun educational games for kids

SpanishDictionary.com

Spanish-English dictionary, translator, and learning

Inglés.com

Diccionario inglés-español, traductor y sitio de aprendizaje

Emmersion

Fast and accurate language certification

FrenchDictionary.com

French-English dictionary, translator, and learning

vocabulary.com logo Copyright © 2026 Vocabulary.com, Inc. A division of IXL Learning All Rights Reserved. IXL logo Facebook logo X.com logo Instagram logo LinkedIn logo

Tag » How Do You Spell Vaccinated