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
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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
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2026
At the height of the rebellion, Bacon suddenly became ill and died on October 26, 1676, probably from dysentery.
—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 June 2026
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
More than 80 people attended his funeral, and many relatives and community members fell ill in the following days.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Giant could have taken the same approach to Dahl as Dahl took to his own characters, clearly telegraphing the author’s ills and reducing him to them.
—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
Several of the ill people, who also include Canadian diplomats, reported vertigo, tinnitus, headaches, cognitive impairmen, and other issues after feeling intense pressure or hearing strange sounds coming from one direction in incidents that happened in several countries.
—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
24 June 2026
At the height of the rebellion, Bacon suddenly became ill and died on October 26, 1676, probably from dysentery.
—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 June 2026
Adverb
Nearly a dozen people across five states fell ill.
—
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
More than 80 people attended his funeral, and many relatives and community members fell ill in the following days.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Noun
Charli isn’t pretending the world’s ills are curable through a sweaty night dancing with friends.
—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Giant could have taken the same approach to Dahl as Dahl took to his own characters, clearly telegraphing the author’s ills and reducing him to them.
—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
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Having a sick pet is emotionally a lot to handle.
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Preventing infestation Just because one calf is sick doesn’t mean the entire herd will get it, Cammack said.
Adjective
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Telegram said its moderation systems remove millions of pieces of harmful content each month, including non-consensual pornography.
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Developing a negative self-view as a result of these harmful experiences during your formative years is not uncommon.
Adjective
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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.
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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.
Adjective
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Rebecca Lowe joins Dan Patrick to discuss some of the top storylines around the World Cup, including Cristiano Ronaldo's poor play to start, the United States' potential and more.
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Will the gap between rural and urban America – and the gap between rich and poor America – decline or grow?
Adjective
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If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
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Listening to most records felt shaky, ominous, like reintroducing food after a stomach bug.
Adverb
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This reliance on ad budgets severely restricts the company in the mind of the market.
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Without that asset, the Heat’s package is severely degraded.
Adverb
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Minimum deals can be no longer than two seasons in length.
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What has changed in recent years, however, is that prediction markets are no longer an obscure pastime enjoyed by political junkies.
Noun
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Speaking with Seacoast Online, part of the USA TODAY Network, three years after his diagnosis, Hall said the symptoms of the disease can come and go.
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While bedbugs are not known to spread or transmit disease, the Environmental Protection Agency considers the parasitic insects a pest that can cause other public health issues such as allergic reactions, secondary infections and mental health impacts on those living in infested homes.
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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