chronic disease
noun
plural chronic diseases
: a disease (such as asthma, coronary heart disease, or diabetes) that continues or occurs again and again for a long time : a medical condition of prolonged duration
… childhood obesity that too often leads to chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.—
Akiba Solomon
Akiba SolomonMost oncologists are reluctant to use the word "cure," and tend to speak of cancer as a chronic disease. The goal of treatment is remission, a state in which the cancer can't be detected.—Sallie Tisdale
Sallie TisdaleMore than 2,200 local doctors had voluntarily provided free care to uninsured patients, including surgery, chemotherapy and chronic disease management.—The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning NewsExamples of chronic disease in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As a group, Native Americans face high rates of poverty, chronic disease, and mental illness — all are risk factors for addiction.
—Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
The committee did its assessment two years ago, but evidence linking ultraprocessed foods to chronic diseases is getting stronger.
—Cristina Palacios, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
There’s no question that Americans, especially children, are suffering from a chronic disease crisis.
—Jerome Adams, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
Fighting chronic disease and supporting gut health Dietary guidelines are used as the baseline for federal food programs, including SNAP and school meal programs.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
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Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 8 Jan. 2026
The committee did its assessment two years ago, but evidence linking ultraprocessed foods to chronic diseases is getting stronger.
—Cristina Palacios, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
There’s no question that Americans, especially children, are suffering from a chronic disease crisis.
—Jerome Adams, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
Fighting chronic disease and supporting gut health Dietary guidelines are used as the baseline for federal food programs, including SNAP and school meal programs.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chronic disease
Cite this Entry
“Chronic disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chronic%20disease. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
chronic disease
noun
: a disease (such as asthma, coronary heart disease, or diabetes) that continues or occurs again and again for a long time : a medical condition of prolonged duration
Millions suffer from debilitating chronic disease caused by smoking. It is a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease, chronic bronchitis and emphysema …—Phil Gunby, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Phil Gunby, The Journal of the American Medical AssociationLove words? Need even more definitions?
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