1
2
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
one of the ill effects of winter weather is the rapid spread of germs as people spend more time together indoors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in poorly
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
since I'm ill, I guess that I'll just have to miss that dental appointment
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4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
such ill behavior will not be tolerated
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5
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
the abrupt breakdown of negotiations appears to be an ill omen for this ongoing hostage situation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
in those days society treated debtors very ill, even going so far as to put them in prison
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2
as in no
certainly not
you can ill afford to miss another day of work
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1
as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
chicken pox and the other ills that were once a fixture of childhood
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2
as in evil
that which is morally unacceptable
idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills
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3
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
the travelers merrily set off on their journey, scarcely imagining the ills that would befall them
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ill
Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
When his grandmother also falls ill and prepares to cross the Kuriyako, the sacred place where her people go to die, an ancestral presence arrives in the house, blurring the boundary between the living and the dead.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Nancy Cook, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026
The 24-year-old right-hander made his major league debut as a late replacement for right-hander Ryan Johnson, who fell ill, and had to bob and weave through the early innings.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
The first New Mexico trial on the ills and dangers of social media platforms began in February after a nearly three-year probe by the state.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
While Brian Hooker himself flew out of the Bahamas on Wednesday to be with his mother, who's reportedly very ill, according to his attorney, Lynette Hooker's daughter, Karli Aylesworth, flew to the island on Thursday to help with the search.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
When his grandmother also falls ill and prepares to cross the Kuriyako, the sacred place where her people go to die, an ancestral presence arrives in the house, blurring the boundary between the living and the dead.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Adverb
The International Monetary Fund is poised to cut its forecasts for global growth as a result of the war in Iran, and sees danger in a world economy that’s ill-equipped to respond to shocks, the Fund’s chief said in an interview.
—Nancy Cook, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026
The 24-year-old right-hander made his major league debut as a late replacement for right-hander Ryan Johnson, who fell ill, and had to bob and weave through the early innings.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
In his songs, the Virginia rapper renders societal ills in high definition.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
The first New Mexico trial on the ills and dangers of social media platforms began in February after a nearly three-year probe by the state.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
This animal is really, really very, very, very sick.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Cameron Collins was sick of Joe Biden.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Regulation remains uneven, education is inconsistent, and the line between a manageable high and a harmful one isn’t always clear, especially for younger or inexperienced users.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The rollbacks included minimum wage requirements for home healthcare workers and people with disabilities, and rules governing exposure to harmful substances and safety procedures at mines.—
Seung Min Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This fragmented model creates friction and quietly drains profitability through unbilled hours, margin erosion from poorly staffed projects and elevated turnover when top talent hits operational roadblocks.—
DJ Paoni,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
For however poorly things are going — and the bad tone set by the starters has leaked into some defensive lapses and some pressing at the plate — the Padres got themselves into a really favorable position before this.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Braves couldn’t overcome a poor start from Reynaldo López and saw their six-game winning streak fall by the wayside in an 11-4 loss to the Nationals on Tuesday at Nationals Park.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
In the days leading up to his fatal overdose, Prince was in poor health and was forced to cancel shows in Atlanta.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The biggest difference between Mythos and previous AI models was its ability to autonomously exploit vulnerabilities, an ominous new facet of the industry’s transition towards agentic models.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The team of astronomers credited for Apophis' discovery – David Tholen, Fabrizio Bernardi and the late Roy Tucker – were also responsible for coming up with the asteroid's ominous name.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
16 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Advertisement Now in its eighth week, the conflict has severely disrupted global energy markets.—
Gemma Fox,
Time,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Cher is again seeking a conservatorship over her son Elijah Blue Allman, alleging that his drug addiction has severely affected his mental health and led to mounting debt.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Analysts say the latest developments suggest the IRGC is no longer operating behind the scenes, but is openly emerging as the dominant force in Tehran.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Fans still flock to the United Center, no matter the brand of basketball being played.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Researchers have spent decades developing potatoes for chip makers that can grow in all kinds of climates, avoid diseases and pests, sit in storage for months and still deliver a satisfying crunch.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
After all, inflammation is a major driver of not only gum disease but also the chronic conditions listed above.—
Michele Ross,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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