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
Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025
So far, 28 of 355 passengers and four out of 260 crew members reported feeling ill onboard, the CDC said.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Jack Guy, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
His wife fell ill on the second day of their trip and spent five nights in a hospital.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
Everyday architecture Instead, Liu seeks to redress some of the ills generated by his country’s rampant urbanization.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
Under the changes, Meta now allows users to accuse LGBTQ individuals of being mentally ill despite otherwise prohibiting such content.
—Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025
So far, 28 of 355 passengers and four out of 260 crew members reported feeling ill onboard, the CDC said.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Adverb
The 27-year-old man was first rescued on Tuesday after falling ill, Shizuoka prefectural police told CNN on Monday.
—Jack Guy, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
His wife fell ill on the second day of their trip and spent five nights in a hospital.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
The film uses humour bravely, in a way that perhaps alludes to Aristophanes’ satirizing the ills of ancient Athenian democracy.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025
Everyday architecture Instead, Liu seeks to redress some of the ills generated by his country’s rampant urbanization.
—Oscar Holland, CNN, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
It seems squarely aimed at making kids sick by discouraging vaccination.—
Dan Vergano,
Scientific American,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Steward said his daughter, while surfing nearby, became sick with an infection from a type of bacteria called MRSA, which is resistant to many antibiotics.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Confusing a congressional edict to end segregation with DEI policies that have no genesis in the Black Civil Rights movement to end Jim Crow is historically ignorant, disrespectful, and harmful to the urgent need to focus on resolving continuing racial inequalities in public education.—
Raymond Pierce,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
For every person who happily sets 4:00 a.m. alarms on race morning, there’s another convinced the sport is too hard, too boring, or a waste of time, if not outright harmful.—
Cindy Kuzma,
SELF,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Both the United States and the United Nations have stepped back from leadership roles, a reflection of how poorly interventions in Haiti have gone and also the wide range of issues in other parts of the world at the moment.—
Adam Taylor,
Washington Post,
7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
-
Consumer spending softened, increasing 1.8%, down from a 4% rise in the fourth quarter, but a decent performance in light of stock market turmoil and poor weather early in the quarter.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
-
These factors could contribute material risk to Nike’s earnings and put the company in a poor position to manage near-term headwinds.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2025
-
The increasing suicide rates of the elderly in rapidly aging Japan and South Korea are an ominous sign.—
The Editors,
National Review,
30 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
At the funeral, however, the crowd appeared overwhelmingly in favor of Francis’ openness to the world, no matter the specific questions of church doctrine.—
Aryn Baker,
Time,
26 Apr. 2025
-
She’s been wildly influential without ever being less than unmistakable; no matter what sonic, thematic or characteristic elements other artists may borrow from her, none of them would ever risk being taken for Lana herself.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Fighting the disease for over 30 years, Peters and his charity fundraised and sought to raise awareness on new treatments for cancer patients.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Pakistan is writing a new story of hope in which every child can survive and thrive and communities are protected from this preventable disease.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Lucas loved the idealistic adventure reels of the ’30s and ’40s where good and evil were divided by a fresh coat of paint.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Unfortunately for Smoke, Stack, Slim and their friends, an epic first evening turns into a bloody nightmare when evil comes knocking.—
Derek Lawrence,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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