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
Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
But critics and former employees who spoke with CNN say the AI company has long known of the dangers of the tool’s tendency toward sycophancy – repeatedly reinforcing and encouraging any kind of input – particularly for users who are distressed or mentally ill.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Helen Dennis, Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
Baltimore scored all three of its touchdowns running off-tackle with offensive linemen pulling out in front, a way to generate a numbers advantage against a defense either too slow to reach the edge and/or ill-equipped to set the edge with its corners.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2025
An expensive renovation to raise its foundation protected Samy’s studio from the elements; high above it all, the veranda provided a stunning, unobstructed view of poverty and all its ills.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
The roadies said the band didn’t regularly test the crew and that several crew workers fell ill with the virus before Stueber died.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
But critics and former employees who spoke with CNN say the AI company has long known of the dangers of the tool’s tendency toward sycophancy – repeatedly reinforcing and encouraging any kind of input – particularly for users who are distressed or mentally ill.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
Caregivers often are ill-prepared for their role and often provide care with little or no support.
—Helen Dennis, Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026
Baltimore scored all three of its touchdowns running off-tackle with offensive linemen pulling out in front, a way to generate a numbers advantage against a defense either too slow to reach the edge and/or ill-equipped to set the edge with its corners.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
Noun
There are people like myself who don’t agree with the extreme policies of both parties realizing that neither side has all the answers to solve the nation’s ills.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 12 Dec. 2025
An expensive renovation to raise its foundation protected Samy’s studio from the elements; high above it all, the veranda provided a stunning, unobstructed view of poverty and all its ills.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
This leaves a sicker risk pool behind and drives premiums even higher for those who remain.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Humans who have prolonged close contact with sick or dead birds infected with HPAI are the most at risk of becoming infected.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Some harmful varieties closely resemble edible mushrooms, even to experienced foragers.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
On each phone, the lock screen image was a photo of a child who died young due to the harmful effects of social media.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This involves having a poorly or non-functioning colon and is not usually reversible.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
17 Aug. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
-
In recent games, KU’s communication has been pretty poor on defense and that’s led to players taking (and too often missing) wide-open 3-pointers.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Episodes are bound together by banal introductory voiceover, in which our narrator recites ominous clichés that, like everything in His & Hers, border on parody.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
-
More ominous still is the thought of the FanDuel mentality extending into other areas of American life.—
Rand Richards Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
In the ninth century, a severely disabled woman was buried, her feet bound, in an annex of the church in Elsau, outside Zürich.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The time is never right to severely chop off your crape myrtle.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Throughout her legendary career, Oprah has remained relatable, and her skin care routine is no different.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Fake Plants Sure, live plants add vibrancy and life to a space, but faux plants (no matter how small or convincing) often just add plastic and dust.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Plant diseases and pests can be spread by reusing dirty flower pots.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
-
In 2024, Patrick's widow Lisa Niemi Swayze teamed up with leading non profit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to help raise awareness of the disease and increase funding for research.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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