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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
such ill behavior will not be tolerated
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 June 2026
Their limited time together is so important that Ryan throws caution to the wind and contracts chicken pox from an ill Phoebe.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
Steven Rowley, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Earle watched helplessly as friends fell ill.
—Christina Ray Stanton, Time, 2 June 2026
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Chambers grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, which has become something of a poster-child of the ills of deindustrialization.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
Encouraged by his first result, Denis performed a second transfusion on a mentally ill patient, Antoine Mauroy, using calf’s blood.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 June 2026
Their limited time together is so important that Ryan throws caution to the wind and contracts chicken pox from an ill Phoebe.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
Adverb
There was a small dog and a bird to care for, not to mention his mother’s house, which was ill-equipped for an unusual freeze.
—Steven Rowley, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Earle watched helplessly as friends fell ill.
—Christina Ray Stanton, Time, 2 June 2026
Noun
Blaming the Cubs’ ills on off-the-field issues is entertaining and keeps some sportswriters employed well past their expiration date.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
Chambers grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, which has become something of a poster-child of the ills of deindustrialization.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
One daycare worker had also called in sick that morning and another child was on the way.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an investigation notice and public health advisory on Thursday, June 4, after eight people became sick across three states.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
In the layer of the upper atmosphere called the stratosphere, the gas creates a protective layer that shields Earthlings from harmful ultraviolet rays.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
8 June 2026
-
The data center near Quindaro doesn’t have the capacity to be as harmful as the center out west, and the impacts of having a data center in Quindaro wouldn’t equate to the same health risks as having a coal plant did, Gorman said.—
Sofi Zeman
June 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 June 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 second didn’t go nearly as well for Bussi as Karlsson and Howden scored on two of the Golden Knights’ six shots in the period to tie the score at 3-3 heading into the third, the tying goal coming off a Seth Jarvis turnover and a couple of poor defensive plays by Sean Walker and K’Andre Miller.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Heat radiates from the pages of this extraordinary novel about a poor family in rural Mississippi in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
What matters is the atmosphere Muir creates, which is as dark and ominous as that of any black-metal record, and even more unsettling for its alienness.—
Brad Sanders,
Pitchfork,
8 June 2026
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2026
Adverb
-
The car was severely damaged by the crash, video showed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
The impact with Bell’s Camry severely deformed the SAFER barrier, which is comprised of steel and foam to absorb energy in wrecks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Adverb
-
Indeed, there is likely no method — no matter how humane — that would be immune to constitutional challenge.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
In my fiction, my grandfather was no longer an inscrutable ghost, but a character with definable flaws, who did things in an order that, despite whatever twists and subversions, resolved into meaning.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The full suite of vaccines against childhood diseases was almost complete by 1970.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The deadly plague is called Pierce’s disease.—
Seamus Bozeman
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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