illnesses

noun

plural of illness
as in diseases
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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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 illnesses Khanna said medical costs remain a major source of financial insecurity, particularly for Americans diagnosed with serious illnesses. — Kiara Moore, The Washington Examiner, 16 Aug. 2026 Such interviews revealed that 95 percent had eaten at a Mexican-style restaurant like Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA before their illnesses. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 For people with very serious illnesses, a clinical trial may offer the best hope for extending their life or improving their quality of life. — Michelle Andrews, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 Those who develop an intestinal illness from listeria should drink plenty of fluids, and those with invasive illnesses from the bacteria may need to be treated with antibiotics, the website says. — Arkansas Online, 14 Aug. 2026 In rare circumstances, salmonella can get into the bloodstream and cause more severe illnesses like arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Aug. 2026 Laboratory, epidemiological, and traceback data from the investigation have determined that the shell eggs recalled by Midwest Poultry Services are the likely source of illnesses in the outbreak. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026 Though such illnesses are rarely fatal, the CDC has confirmed two deaths related to this outbreak, as of Thursday morning. — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026 Over the next 60 years, polio, measles, rubella, smallpox and other illnesses nearly vanished. — Dr. Marianne Parshley, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illnesses
  1. diseases
  2. ailments
  3. sicknesses
  4. ills
  5. fevers
  6. conditions
Noun
  • Pathogens are microorganisms known to cause numerous diseases in their host, meaning Bifidobacterium animalis may help fight certain diseases.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Splitting up and spreading out childhood vaccines would be a seismic shift for families and a complicated, costly pursuit for the country that would only leave more people vulnerable to preventable diseases.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of diseases
Noun
  • Medics treat heat stroke and other ailments from trailers while an announcer calls out an endless stream of names of people separated from their families.
    — Jane Arraf, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
  • During his time in the minors, Mayer dealt with hip, back, shoulder and wrist ailments.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of ailments
Noun
  • And while children, the elderly and those with certain sicknesses or medications are most susceptible to heat illness – these temperatures affect everyone.
    — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
  • At the end of the day, both doctors agree that hotel stays shouldn’t deter people from traveling altogether, since there are always ways to proactively minimize exposure and subsequent sicknesses.
    — Joey Skladany, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026
Definition of sicknesses
Noun
  • Alex Pantling/Getty Images What is clear is that no one thinks the changes enacted in either the Championship or League One are a resolution to the EFL’s marked financial ills.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Blaming billionaire wealth-hoarding for America’s ills would poll very well among the nation’s anthropology departments.
    — Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026
Definition of ills
Noun
  • Speaking to the Guardian, Florida State University marine biologist Dean Grubbs noted that large fevers of cownose rays historically only went as far as the Chesapeake Bay, with just a few individuals observed farther north.
    — Sanidhya Sharma, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Still's disease, a rare type of inflammatory arthritis that can cause rashes, debilitating pain, and fevers.
    — Rachana Pradhan, NPR, 20 July 2026
Definition of fevers
Noun
  • Iran’s economy was in a dire state before the war too, with poor economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital city Tehran in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The combination of volcanic activity and sudden weather changes can make conditions on the mountain particularly hazardous.
    — Anna Matranga, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of conditions

Browse Nearby Words

illness
illnesses
illogic
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Cite this Entry

“Illnesses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illnesses. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of illnesses for Spanish Speakers

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