illness

noun

ill·ness | \ ˈil-nəs

Definition of illness

1a : sickness sense 2

b : an unhealthy condition of body or mind

2 obsolete

a : wickedness

b : unpleasantness

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about illness

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Examples of illness in a Sentence

Her body was not able to defend itself against illness. Hundreds of soldiers died from illness and hunger. He showed no signs of illness. Scientists have not yet found a cure for this illness. cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses She died at the age of 60 after a brief illness.

Recent Examples on the Web

The microorganisms living on the space station include potentially dangerous bacteria that can cause illness, along with fungi that may be corroding the station itself. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Scientists Found Loads of Bacteria and Fungi on the ISS," 8 Apr. 2019 The couple announced her illness had returned in November 2018, and now Duane, 66, is giving an update on how the family is coping. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Star Duane Chapman Gives Emotional Update About His Wife's Cancer," 31 Mar. 2019 But the infection can still cause serious side effects, including miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or a life-threatening illness in the newborn. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Avocados Recalled in 6 States for Possible Listeria Contamination," 25 Mar. 2019 The illness has proven notoriously difficult to treat, yet investors still were caught off guard: Biogen shares plunged about 25% in early trading on Thursday. — Charley Grant, WSJ, "Biogen’s Blowup May Lift Smaller Biotechs," 21 Mar. 2019 Lady Gaga has also been vocal about her fight with fibromyalgia, a chronic illness characterized by severe muscle pain and fatigue. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Game of Thrones’s Emilia Clarke Speaks Out About Surviving Two Brain Aneurysms," 21 Mar. 2019 Since mosquitoes can transmit disease, these extra precautions will help protect you from both uncomfortable itchiness and potential illnesses like Zika or West Nile virus. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Rid of Mosquito Bites and Stop Itching ASAP," 18 Mar. 2019 There actually has been no proven data that antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than plain soap and water. — Lindsey Campbell, House Beautiful, "19 Dangerous Household Items You Should Quit Using Immediately," 15 Feb. 2019 Lyme disease accounted for nearly three-quarters of the illnesses. — Mike Stobbe, The Seattle Times, "U.S. officials report a record number of tick diseases," 14 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'illness.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.