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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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
Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 19 June 2025
Any lingering ill feelings Marchand had with Florida players (or vice versa) were quickly buried.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2025
Will Ripley, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
The listeria strain tied to the outbreak has been detected in people who fell ill between July 24 and May 10, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
—Jonel Aleccia, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
But the strikes of 2023 that delayed releases slated for 2024 were never the only ills plaguing the entertainment sector.
—Judy Berman, Time, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
Wen: Extreme heat can affect everyone, but there are three groups of people who are the most susceptible to its ill effects.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 19 June 2025
Any lingering ill feelings Marchand had with Florida players (or vice versa) were quickly buried.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2025
Adverb
Another, a soldier, described a military communications battalion in which more than half the unit – about 400 soldiers – fell ill by late 2021.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
The listeria strain tied to the outbreak has been detected in people who fell ill between July 24 and May 10, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
—Jonel Aleccia, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025
Noun
In the early 1900s, journalism, the muckrakers, became highly influential, raising awareness about many social ills, including child labor, unsafe working conditions and unsanitary food processing.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
But the strikes of 2023 that delayed releases slated for 2024 were never the only ills plaguing the entertainment sector.
—Judy Berman, Time, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
King Charles and Kate Middleton were both diagnosed with cancer, with the King reportedly still very sick.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
20 June 2025
-
If Rob and Ryan are struck by lightning, get bored, fall out, get sick or lose a court case, will Wrexham look so transcendent?—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
Research has found that building roads can fragment habitats, disrupt ecosystems, and increase erosion and sediment pollution in drinking water, among other potentially harmful outcomes.—
Hayley Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
-
Bezos' wedding splurge is seen as unnecessary and harmful by protesters.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
The researchers and their partners are also working to track local residents’ health and to measure how well or poorly interventions like masks and household air filters protected them.—
Maggie Astor,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Both the United States and the United Nations have stepped back from leadership roles, a reflection of how poorly interventions in Haiti have gone and also the wide range of issues in other parts of the world at the moment.—
Adam Taylor,
Washington Post,
7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
-
The key drivers are BGE’s soaring spending and profits and poor management by PJM Interconnection, the private entity that operates our electric grid.—
Emily Scarr,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2025
-
Despite having a poor 2024 season that saw the Pirates remove Bednar from the closer role, the right-hander is back to his dominant form.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 June 2025
-
By contrast, Kosinski’s follow-up plays out against eternal night, with dark mountains looming against deep-black skies with ominous gray clouds.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Adverb
-
Senate Democrats plan to bring up the claim that shortly after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act to speed up deportations, Bove said planes carrying migrants needed to take off no matter what.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
25 June 2025
-
However, no matter how far Jo finds herself from her old life, her mission remains the same, to keep her son alive.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Do control the Asian psyllid insects with an insecticide spray at each flush of growth to prevent the spread of greening disease.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2025
-
After Yang was found, Police thanked those who assisted in the search for the missing man, who also has Parkinson’s disease.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
The primary concern of the book was pacifism—the rejection of all violence, even to combat evil.—
Ben Woollard,
JSTOR Daily,
18 June 2025
-
This national recognition of the evils of slavery comes during a significant backlash against teaching American history, as well as an erosion of other civil rights, namely a rollback of voting rights in places that have high populations of Black voters.—
Jenny Singer,
Glamour,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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