intramuscular

American  

[in-truh-muhs-kyuh-ler] / ˌɪn trəˈmʌs kyə lər /

adjective

1. located or occurring within a muscle.

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intramuscular British  

/ ˌɪntrəˈmʌskjʊlə /

adjective

1. Abbreviation (esp of an injection): IM.   i.m.  anatomy within a muscle

   an intramuscular injection

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Other Word Forms

• intramuscularly adverb

Etymology

Origin of intramuscular

First recorded in 1870–75; intra- + muscular

Example Sentences

In both animal models, the nasal spray vaccine provided stronger protection than the same vaccine delivered by a traditional intramuscular injection.

From Science Daily • Feb. 4, 2026

Food & Drug Administration can take steps to extend over-the-counter designation to generic intramuscular naloxone — the most common and the cheapest form of this life-saving medication.

From Salon • Jul. 21, 2023

With intramuscular injections, a needle delivers the vaccine ingredients directly into the muscle, where they quickly encounter resident immune cells.

From Scientific American • May 3, 2022

Food and Drug Administration in December approved an antibody drug from AstraZeneca that is given through intramuscular injection and gives “long-lasting” protection to immunocompromised persons prior to infection.

From Washington Times • Jan. 12, 2022

In addition to the foregoing, good results have attended the use of intramuscular injections of oxygen.

From Lameness of the Horse Veterinary Practitioners' Series, No. 1 by Lacroix, John Victor