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
But some vaccine experts have expressed concerns that limiting COVID-19 vaccine access might further fuel vaccine hesitancy because any barrier to vaccine access can reduce uptake and hinder efforts to achieve widespread immunity.
—Libby Richards, The Conversation, 21 May 2025
Public health experts have previously said lagging vaccination rates are to blame for the rise in cases, at least partly due to vaccine hesitancy and vaccine fatigue left over from the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025
While occasional cases and outbreaks have continued to emerge over the years, the current resurgence comes amid falling vaccination rates and growing vaccine hesitancy.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2025
This misinformation is fueling vaccine hesitancy and fear and is driving down immunization rates in Miami-Dade.
—Dan Sweeney, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vaccine hesitancy
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.
Libby Richards, The Conversation, 21 May 2025
Public health experts have previously said lagging vaccination rates are to blame for the rise in cases, at least partly due to vaccine hesitancy and vaccine fatigue left over from the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2025
While occasional cases and outbreaks have continued to emerge over the years, the current resurgence comes amid falling vaccination rates and growing vaccine hesitancy.
—Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2025
This misinformation is fueling vaccine hesitancy and fear and is driving down immunization rates in Miami-Dade.
—Dan Sweeney, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 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 5 Jun. 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?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share