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Prepositions after verbs

Vaccinate against or vaccinate with?

Use vaccinate against to name the disease and vaccinate with to name the vaccine, substance, or method used.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with vaccinate?

Vaccinate against refers to protection from a disease or condition. Vaccinate with refers to the vaccine or substance used. Both are standard but express different meanings.

Children are routinely vaccinated against measles.
The clinic vaccinated patients with the updated formula.
Pets should be vaccinated against rabies.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
vaccinate against + disease

Naming the disease or risk

Use against when you mention what the vaccine protects from.

All travellers were vaccinated against yellow fever.
The program aims to vaccinate against polio.
2
vaccinate with + vaccine

Naming the vaccine or substance used

Use with when you mention the vaccine, dose, or formula administered.

Doctors vaccinated the group with a nasal spray vaccine.
The nurse vaccinated infants with the new booster.
3
vaccinate someone

Using vaccinate without a preposition

The verb can directly take a person as its object when the disease or vaccine is not specified.

The hospital plans to vaccinate all staff by Friday.
Mobile teams vaccinated thousands during the campaign.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
vaccinate against
They vaccinated the cattle against anthrax.
Protect from a disease or danger.
vaccinate with
The doctor vaccinated her with a combined vaccine.
State the vaccine or substance used.
vaccinate for
The clinic offers vaccines for travel diseases.
For is more natural with vaccine or vaccination, not usually directly after vaccinate.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using against for the vaccine itself

Against introduces the disease, not the vaccine product.

✕ She was vaccinated against a booster shot. ✓ She was vaccinated with a booster shot.

Using with for the disease

With introduces the substance administered, not the illness prevented.

✕ Children were vaccinated with measles. ✓ Children were vaccinated against measles.

Adding an unnecessary preposition

Vaccinate can take a direct object without another preposition.

✕ The team vaccinated to the workers. ✓ The team vaccinated the workers.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The travellers were vaccinated ___ typhoid before departure.
2. The nurse vaccinated patients ___ the updated vaccine.
3. The clinic plans to vaccinate all employees ___ Friday.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say vaccinate against flu?

Yes. Vaccinate against flu is a standard way to mention protection from influenza.

Can vaccinate with refer to a method?

Yes. It can refer to the vaccine, formula, or delivery method used.

Is vaccinate from correct?

Vaccinate from is not standard for this meaning. Use vaccinate against for protection.

vacate-by-for-on-to, as "validate by" or "validate in"? "vanish from" or "vanish into"? vary from, in, depending, between or according? veer into, towards, away, off or to? venture into, to, on, beyond or through? verge on, into, upon, as or at? verify by, with, in, from or at? "victimize by" or "victimize in"? "vie for" or "vie with"? "violate in" or "violate by"? visit from, by, in, with or on?

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