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
Most 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
More than 2,200 local doctors had voluntarily provided free care to uninsured patients, including surgery, chemotherapy and chronic disease management.The Dallas Morning News

Examples of chronic disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Infants and children who are infected with hepatitis B are more likely to develop chronic disease, including about 90% of infants and 30% of children ages 1 to 5. Katherine Dillinger, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025 They are also trained in the intersection of public health, chronic disease, and nutrition, and can diagnose and treat conditions in the context of medical nutrition therapy. Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 12 Dec. 2025 The study was relatively small, however, with only 20 participants between the ages of 21 and 36, all of whom had no history of chronic disease. Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 11 Dec. 2025 In addition to his obesity, Bryan suffers from lymphedema, a chronic disease with no cure that results in the buildup of fluid in soft tissues and causes swelling in his left leg. Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 9 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chronic disease

Word History

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chronic disease was in 1662

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Cite this Entry

“Chronic disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chronic%20disease. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.

Medical 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
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