plural allergies
1
: altered bodily reactivity (such as hypersensitivity) to an antigen in response to a first exposure
a bee venom allergy so severe that a second sting may be fatal
2
: exaggerated or pathological immunological reaction (as by sneezing, difficult breathing, itching, or skin rashes) to substances, situations, or physical states that are without comparable effect on the average individual
3
: medical practice concerned with allergies
4
: a feeling of antipathy or aversion
Examples of allergy in a Sentence
Many people have some form of allergy.
independent-minded people who seem to have an allergy to any control from the government
Recent Examples on the Web
Some food reactions may not be true allergies, but could relate to environmental exposures, microbiome changes, or chemical sensitivity, Zafar noted.
—
Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
Kennedy’s claim that aluminum in vaccines is causing an explosion of allergies is considered misinformation by experts.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
These chats can only be initiated by restaurants, and are intended to help increase order accuracy by checking in on special requests, dietary preferences, and allergies.
—PC Magazine, 31 July 2025
More and more clinicians now recognize that many penicillin allergy labels are incorrect – and there are safe, simple ways to find out your actual allergy status.
—Elizabeth W. Covington, The Conversation, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for allergy
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Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
Kennedy’s claim that aluminum in vaccines is causing an explosion of allergies is considered misinformation by experts.
—Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
These chats can only be initiated by restaurants, and are intended to help increase order accuracy by checking in on special requests, dietary preferences, and allergies.
—PC Magazine, 31 July 2025
More and more clinicians now recognize that many penicillin allergy labels are incorrect – and there are safe, simple ways to find out your actual allergy status.
—Elizabeth W. Covington, The Conversation, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for allergy
Cite this Entry
“Allergy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allergy. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
allergy
noun
al·ler·gy
ˈal-ər-jē 
plural allergies
1
: exaggerated or abnormal reaction (as by sneezing, itching, or rashes) to substances, situations, or physical states that do not have such a strong effect on most people
2
: a feeling of dislike
Medical Definition
allergy
noun
al·ler·gy
ˈal-ər-jē
plural allergies
1
: altered bodily reactivity (as hypersensitivity) to an antigen in response to a first exposure
his bee-venom allergy may render a second sting fatal
2
: exaggerated or pathological reaction (as by sneezing, respiratory embarrassment, itching, or skin rashes) to substances, situations, or physical states that are without comparable effect on the average individual
3
: medical practice concerned with allergies
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