malaise

noun

mal·​aise mə-ˈlāz How to pronounce malaise (audio)
ma-,
-ˈlez How to pronounce malaise (audio)
1
: an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness
An infected person will feel a general malaise.
2
: a vague sense of mental or moral ill-being
a malaise of cynicism and despairMalcolm Boyd

Did you know?

A recipe: combine a handful of the blahs, a pinch of the blues, and maybe a soupçon of ennui, season generously with “under the weather,” and voila, you’ve got yourself the stew of sinking sensations known as malaise. Malaise, whose Old French ancestor was formed from the combination of mal (“bad”) and aise (“comfort”), has been a part of English since the mid-18th century. It originally referred to a vague feeling of weakness or discomfort accompanying the onset of an illness—a meaning still in use today when a virus or other malady starts producing symptoms—but has since broadened to cover a general, ominous sense of mental or moral ill-being.

Examples of malaise in a Sentence

The symptoms include headache, malaise, and fatigue. An infected person will feel a general malaise. The country's current economic problems are symptoms of a deeper malaise.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Over the past four decades, Chile has made a disorienting journey from state of terror to hopeful democracy to queasy malaise. Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2024 He was struck by the way the film depicted post-college malaise and melancholy and the awkwardness of meeting new people. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2024 The company is on more stable footing than Yoox or Net-a-porter and has managed to transcend the malaise permeating much of the luxury sector. David Moin, WWD, 3 Oct. 2024 In this manner, Father Charlie speaks as much for the Ryan Murphy TV empire as for the audience, which may want to be above this malaise but invariably ends up wallowing in it. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for malaise 

Word History

Etymology

French malaise, from Old French, from mal- + aise comfort — more at ease

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of malaise was in 1768

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Dictionary Entries Near malaise

Cite this Entry

“Malaise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malaise. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

malaise

noun
mal·​aise mə-ˈlāz How to pronounce malaise (audio) ma- How to pronounce malaise (audio)
-ˈlez
: a hazy feeling of not being well

Medical Definition

malaise

noun
mal·​aise mə-ˈlāz How to pronounce malaise (audio) ma- How to pronounce malaise (audio)
-ˈlez
: an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness
fever, malaise, and other flu-like symptomsLarry Thompson
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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