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
Duale said the patient fell ill about a month ago and was treated in several hospitals while in the DRC. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 His attorney has said Garces-Perez remains seriously ill and has a bullet lodged in his body while being held at an ICE detention facility. — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Adverb
Decades of outsourcing have left American manufacturers ill-equipped to meet demand, leading to higher costs and longer wait times for companies, universities and consumers that require both cutting-edge and everyday electronics. — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026 Court records show the custody dispute between McKinsey and Jang was set to resume this week with a court hearing Friday, amid competing claims of abuse and dueling allegations that each was ill-suited to care for their children. — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
But unlike Transcription or George Saunders’s Vigil, the year’s other novel about a rich old man on his way to the underworld, this book doesn’t try to diagnose our collective ills. — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026 The colonial latifundium, instead of being abolished by independence, was strengthened, leading to any number of national ills. — Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
  • Along with missing guard Dru Smith (right calf strain) and two-way contract forward Keshad Johnson (right hamstring strain) for the second straight exhibition game, the Heat was also without guard Pelle Larsson (sick) on Thursday.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Two types of influenza — A and B — are responsible for the seasonal flu epidemics that make people sick, according to the California Department of Public Health.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • While the baits are not harmful to pets, eating several may cause mild stomach upset.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The film primarily follows Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), a Facebook employee in the company’s civic integrity team, the group tasked with making sure Facebook acts responsibly and avoids the harmful impacts of its product.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Oct. 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
  • Europe is expected to have a particularly poor corn harvest and needs larger imports just as its demand for feed remains high.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Reese is known as a poor shooter, and is often mocked for missing easy shots in games.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The oceans’ vastness can feel ominous, and though scientists have studied what lurks beneath, so much remains unknown.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Hong Kong — Days before Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi was killed, her father-in-law and brother-in-law allegedly went on an ominous shopping spree.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • The attacks and the air raid alerts that accompany them have severely disrupted life in the city, forcing millions to constantly seek shelter and paralyzing the capital’s businesses and transport networks.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
  • While much of the AI safety debate has centered on losing control of AI, Altman said restricting access to AI too severely in the name of safety could be harmful too.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Adverb
  • In most cases, there are no more than three layers of management between the chief executive and a member of the core team.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are winless no more after beating a team with a dreadful defense who overlooked them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia are difficult to study, in part because diagnosing the disease early in people is challenging.
    — Julie Moreno, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Younger demographics are being diagnosed with increasing cases of colon cancer, and people of color face disproportionately higher mortality rates from the disease.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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