1
2
: a harmful development (as in a social institution)
sees the city's crime as a disease
3
obsolete
: trouble
Synonyms
Examples of disease in a Sentence
He suffers from a rare genetic disease.
a disease of the mind
Thousands die of heart disease each year.
They are working to stop the spread of disease in rural areas.
The article cites intolerance as one of the most dangerous of society's diseases.
He sees crime as a disease that too often plagues the poor and disadvantaged.
Recent Examples on the Web
Several decades ago, two New Orleans children developed the same disease: acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
—
USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2024
Cancer report reveals most common types as one doctor warns of 'gateway' disease.
—Fox News, 29 Apr. 2024
The New York/Newark metropolitan area has 1.8 million adults with asthma and 370,000 children with the disease, according to the report.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 27 Apr. 2024
He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, which led him to officially retire from acting in 2020.
—TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Also known as atopic dermatitis, this chronic skin disease affects about 1 in 5 children in the industrialized world.
—Ian Myles, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
According to the National Children’s Cancer Society, one in four families of children with cancer loses over 50% of their income due to disruptions stemming from the disease.
—Greg Hanlon, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
Wildlife rehabilitators and other experts say bacterial and viral diseases that affect pigeons—and can spread quickly in dense urban populations—also threatened Flaco.
—Lauren Oster, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Two years ago, the EU imposed requirements including additional refrigeration of incoming fruit from South Africa, the world’s biggest exporter of the produce after Spain, to combat incidences of Citrus Black Spot, a fungal disease that leaves dark spots on fruit.
—Antony Sguazzin, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024
USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2024
Cancer report reveals most common types as one doctor warns of 'gateway' disease.
—Fox News, 29 Apr. 2024
The New York/Newark metropolitan area has 1.8 million adults with asthma and 370,000 children with the disease, according to the report.
—Matt Simon, WIRED, 27 Apr. 2024
He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, which led him to officially retire from acting in 2020.
—TIME, 26 Apr. 2024
Also known as atopic dermatitis, this chronic skin disease affects about 1 in 5 children in the industrialized world.
—Ian Myles, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
According to the National Children’s Cancer Society, one in four families of children with cancer loses over 50% of their income due to disruptions stemming from the disease.
—Greg Hanlon, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
Wildlife rehabilitators and other experts say bacterial and viral diseases that affect pigeons—and can spread quickly in dense urban populations—also threatened Flaco.
—Lauren Oster, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Two years ago, the EU imposed requirements including additional refrigeration of incoming fruit from South Africa, the world’s biggest exporter of the produce after Spain, to combat incidences of Citrus Black Spot, a fungal disease that leaves dark spots on fruit.
—Antony Sguazzin, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disease
Cite this Entry
“Disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disease. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
disease
noun
dis·ease
diz-ˈēz 
: an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions, is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors : sickness, illness
called also morbus
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