Definition of illnext
1
as in sick
affected with nausea she grew ill from the constant rocking motion of the boat

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
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4
as in poor
falling short of a standard such ill behavior will not be tolerated

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

ill

2 of 3

adverb

ill

3 of 3

noun

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ill
Adjective
Harry’s next major public engagement will take place in London at the annual WellChild Awards, honoring the bravery and resilience of seriously ill children and their caretakers. Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026 And now several dozen people across 15 states have become ill after eating alfalfa sprouts in a new outbreak that involves salmonella and E coli. Dylan Scott, Vox, 27 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Read on to find the 12 best petite deals worth snagging from brands like Hanes, Lee, and Gap, and bid farewell to dragging hemlines and ill-fitting clothing once and for all. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026 Beck never told Nilles what to play or how to play it, which left her with preconceptions ill-suited to Rush. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
Large protests are expected and, in a country where migration has become an easy target for people suffering from a cascade of social and economic ills, the gatherings risk becoming combustible. Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 29 June 2026 But that also eradicates a crucial option - to mount a show trial and scapegoat him for all the ills of his rule, thus absolving others. Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
  • Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.
    Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Sanchez also ordered a meal from Taco Bell, but didn’t get sick.
    Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • California was among dozens of states that sued Meta in 2023, alleging in a lawsuit that the social media giant intentionally designed harmful and addictive features to hook children while misleading the public about the dangers.
    Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The report said the company was strengthening its research infrastructure, increasing monitoring and improving safeguards designed to prevent harmful or unintended behavior.
    Reuters, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • This involves having a poorly or non-functioning colon and is not usually reversible.
    Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The petition argues Mays’ language during the trial revealed something deeper than a poor defense strategy — a worldview that dehumanized the man he was supposed to defend.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • There remains work to be done, as evidenced by their poor showing in last Thursday’s 41-17 preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
    Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Admittedly, Mitchell is fairly creative in sketching the run-up to the dinosaur takeover, which includes ominous signs such as long-extinct plant life taking root overnight.
    Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026
  • An international cast fueled a show that featured people gifted with superpowers around the world that had a mysteriously ominous connection.
    Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • But several of those affiliates have severely curtailed their operations since the federal funding was paused.
    CBS News, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Prior to those deaths, the US had not seen a measles death since 2015, when a woman with underlying conditions became severely ill.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026
Adverb
  • By North Carolina’s historical standards, the answer should be no, but the bar has been lowered so much that a trip to a bottom-tier bowl feels like a victory.
    Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Cole rummaged through an archival box and pulled out a notebook that was no bigger than a business card.
    Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • But rates of cardiac disease have fallen in recent years, as the medical community pivots to managing cholesterol levels, hypertension and diabetes—all risk factors for heart disease.
    Angelica Ang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The administration said 80% of insurers pledged changes to preauthorization requirements for 80% of diseases and injuries by January 2026.
    Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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