1
as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
suffered from a mysterious illness that left her weak and tired all the time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sickness
the condition of not being in good health
prone to illness as a child, he was sent to a western ranch with the expectation that it would toughen him up
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of illness
The number of beloved pets who die of age or illness is unknown but might be less than the eleven thousand dogs and cats euthanized in shelters weekly.
—
Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Isaac Jones will be available after missing Wednesday’s game due to illness.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Bradescu did not attend due to an illness, according to Brian Almon, her communications director.
—Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2025
Researchers should prioritize drugs that are taken to treat serious chronic illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, deadly infections such as HIV, and high fevers.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illness
Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Isaac Jones will be available after missing Wednesday’s game due to illness.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Bradescu did not attend due to an illness, according to Brian Almon, her communications director.
—Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2025
Researchers should prioritize drugs that are taken to treat serious chronic illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, deadly infections such as HIV, and high fevers.
—Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for illness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illness
Noun
-
Indoor cats live for 15 to 17 years on average, while outdoor felines live only for 2 to 5 years due to dangers such as extreme temperatures, wildlife, and disease.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
-
In fact, foods like fatty fish, olive oil, berries, and leafy greens have strong evidence supporting their strong anti-inflammatory effects and their ability to protect against chronic inflammatory diseases.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For the severely malnourished, simply starting to eat normal meals again can cause sickness—even death.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Within the mud, squalor and sickness of the contraband camps, so too came the casting away of the former body and an emergence of a fuller kind of selfhood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This is based on a mix of historical accounts, the discovery of body lice on the remains of soldiers (which carried the pathogens that transmitted the ailments), and DNA analyses conducted nearly a decade ago.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The lawsuit said many of the plaintiffs experienced debilitating panic attacks and insomnia, among other physical ailments.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For all their ills, the Chargers are in first place.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The retraction was expected by many nutrition experts, who have long questioned claims that this kind of vinegar could remedy ills including obesity, diabetes, and even cancer.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
While basic first aid can often ease the pain of a bee sting, according to the Mayo Clinic, those who are stung more than a dozen times can experience a more severe reaction, which includes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and lightheadedness.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Barring a late season storm, Duarte and Palazon expect the prices to hold steady, maybe even drop a little, as the first-month fever and novelty dies down.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illness. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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