vaccination
Americannoun
noun
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the act of vaccinating
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the scar left following inoculation with a vaccine
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Inoculation with a vaccine in order to protect against a particular disease.
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A scar left on the skin by vaccinating.
Usage
What’s the difference between vaccination, inoculation, and immunization? In the context of medicine, the words vaccination, inoculation, and immunization are often used in overlapping ways, and for good reason—they all involve the process of introducing a substance (especially a vaccine) into a person’s body with the goal of preventing them from getting a particular disease.Vaccination is the most specific of the three terms, because it always involves introducing a vaccine, which usually consists of a small amount of a killed, weakened, or otherwise modified version of a disease (such as a virus or bacterium). While inoculation has other meanings outside the context of medicine, in modern healthcare it’s typically used interchangeably with vaccination (though it’s used less commonly).Immunization is slightly different—it refers to the process of providing immunity from a specific disease. While the goal of vaccinating someone is often to immunize them, not all vaccines provide permanent immunity. Some vaccines provide what amounts to long-term immunity, while others only lead to a temporary protection, after which the body “forgets” how to make certain antibodies. In these cases, a booster shot or dose is often required, consisting of a follow-up vaccination to boost or renew the protection gained from the earlier vaccination.Both vaccination and inoculation can refer to a shot or dose, as opposed to the process of providing or receiving such doses, as in I’m scheduled to get a vaccination on Friday. The word immunization can be used in the same way to refer to such a vaccination when it’s one that provides immunity, as in Have you received all of your immunizations?Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between vaccinate, inoculate, and immunize.
Other Word Forms
- antivaccination adjective
- nonvaccination noun
- postvaccination adjective
- prevaccination noun
- provaccination adjective
- revaccination noun
Etymology
Origin of vaccination
Compare meaning
How does vaccination compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But a northern Greece veterinarian argues that illegal vaccination has helped.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Greek authorities have strongly opposed vaccination, arguing that the antibodies they create can backfire by giving false signals of infection.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
The MenB vaccination offers the "best longer-term protection" but "taking preventative antibiotics is the most important immediate action in response to the current outbreak", said the UKHSA.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
Anya Trickett arrived at the vaccination centre at the University of Kent at 05:00 GMT and was first in the queue.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
That’s the principle of vaccination: to stimulate our antibody production without our having to go through the actual experience of the disease, by inoculating us with a dead or weakened strain of microbe.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
