ILLNESS Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

illness

noun

ˈil-nəs

Definition of illness

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 illness This wasn’t an illness that would have been prevented by a vaccine, but Bornstein could detect a through line of distrust. — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026 Those with mild illness can recover completely, but some fatigue and weakness can last much longer, even weeks or months. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Late summer brings an increase in a deadly disease spreading in cats across South Florida, causing intense illness and even sudden death. — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 At this time, no illness has been linked to Walmart’s organic frozen berry blend. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for illness

Recent Examples of Synonyms for illness

Noun

Additionally, animals carry diseases, such as rabies and leptospirosis, that can be fatal to people.

— Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026
People with thyroid disease, kidney, liver or heart problems, or those taking NSAIDs, opiate pain medications or certain antidepressants can actually take in too much water.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of disease

Noun

There’s a mysterious sickness going around, apparently caused by a toxic fog that invisibly burns the skin of whoever comes into contact with it.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
In the case of the cyclospora outbreak, Taylor Farms initiated a recall of iceberg lettuce after reports of sickness emerged from across the country.

— Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of sickness

Noun

Starting next year, Illinois will have new safeguards in place to prevent parents from being wrongly accused of child abuse or neglect when their children visit a doctor or hospital emergency room for unexplained injuries or ailments.

— Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026
The ailment, according to Cleveland Health, is a sudden weakness in the heart muscle.

— Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of ailment

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
All the police will find is a crowd sitting in silent vigil and a bottle of olive oil for anointing the ill.

— Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026