illness

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noun ill·ness \ ˈil-nəs \

Definition of illness

1 obsolete

a :wickedness

b :unpleasantness

2 a :an unhealthy condition of body or mind

b :sickness 2

See illness defined for English-language learners

See illness defined for kids

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 of illness from the Web

Early detection and prompt treatment can lower the risk of the illnesses becoming a more serious disease.

— jonece starr dunigan, AL.com, "West Nile claims one life in Alabama, 9 cases being investigated," 25 Aug. 2017
Probiotics must be as exactly matched to the illness for which they are prescribed as antibiotics are, Dr. Panigrahi said.

— donald g. mcneil jr., New York Times, "How to Prevent Deadly Infection in Babies? Good Bacteria," 21 Aug. 2017
A report in Medical News Today found the number in pools and hot tubs is increasing, and there were over a thousand cases of illness, hundreds of hospitalizations, and one death reported just in 2011-2012.

— beth anne macaluso, Redbook, "16 Common Household Items That Could Kill You," 9 Aug. 2017
My doctor has diagnosed me as suffering from an illness mentioned in Peter Simple that has not yet become fashionable in America.

— john o'sullivan, National Review, "The Trump Era as Unintended Political Satire — Recalling Peter Simple," 4 Aug. 2017
Actual or perceived disability, including mental illness, has thus served as a primary driver of surveillance, policing, and punishment for women and gender-nonconforming people of color throughout US history.

— sari botton, Longreads, "‘They Used Deadly Force to Subdue Her’," 2 Aug. 2017
My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life.

— sarah paulson, Town & Country, "Billie Lourd's New Life," 1 Aug. 2017
Now, any attempt to expand the liberty of insurance companies to discriminate against sick people — or to sell cheap plans that don’t actually protect enrollees against serious illness — appears doomed.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Conservatives Just Lost Their Favorite Part of Trumpcare," 27 July 2017
This new understanding would not only protect people from being denied access to treatment for mental illness but would also protect all of us from harmful manipulations of our neural activity through the misuse of technology.

— marcello ienca, Scientific American, "Preserving the Right to Cognitive Liberty," 24 July 2017

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.

First Known Use of illness

circa 1500

illness Synonyms

Synonyms

affection, ail, ailment, bug, complaint, complication, condition, disorder, distemper, distemperature, fever, ill, disease, infirmity, malady, sickness, trouble

Antonyms

health, wellness

Related Words

contagion, contagious disease; contagium, infection; attack, bout, fit, spell; debility, decrepitude, feebleness, frailness, lameness, sickliness, unhealthiness, unsoundness, unwellness, weakness; malaise, matter, pip; epidemic, pest, pestilence, plague

Near Antonyms

fitness, healthiness, heartiness, robustness, soundness, wholeness, wholesomeness; fettle, shape

ILLNESS Defined for English Language Learners

illness

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noun

Definition of illness for English Language Learners

: a condition of being unhealthy in your body or mind
: a specific condition that prevents your body or mind from working normally : a sickness or disease