ILLS Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

ills

noun

plural of ill

as in diseases

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in evils

that which is morally unacceptable idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in misfortunes

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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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 ills Last month, Kwon’s team, in collaboration with Seongju Kim at Hanbat National University, in Daejeon, South Korea, presented its solution to HBM’s future ills. — IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2026 Hualde says that some Pamplona residents rue his early promotion of the festival due to the ills of overtourism the sleepy provincial city is now experiencing. — ABC News, 6 July 2026 That’s actually the theme of an essay that Masha Gessen, who writes often about Russia and its many ills, has asked. — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026 Large protests are expected and, in a country where migration has become an easy target for people suffering from a cascade of social and economic ills, the gatherings risk becoming combustible. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 29 June 2026 But that also eradicates a crucial option - to mount a show trial and scapegoat him for all the ills of his rule, thus absolving others. — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Through humor, the master is about to expose humanity's ills. — Rance Collins, Entertainment Weekly, 28 June 2026 Of course, some of society’s foremost ills in 2026 owe themselves to the World Wide Web. — Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 22 June 2026 Ultimately, a ballot initiative won’t cure the ills that plague healthcare in the United States, said the Lown Institute’s Saini. — Kff Health News, Oc Register, 10 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ills

Noun

His views are contradicted by scores of studies showing vaccines have saved millions of lives and prevented long-term health problems from common diseases, while side-effects remain relatively rare.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
The findings also showed that multiple brain diseases often coexist in older adults and that these overlapping pathologies raise the odds of developing dementia.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026

Definition of diseases

Noun

Deer-Proof Your Garden To keep your flowers from being gobbled up by deer—one of the most heartbreaking of all garden misfortunes—choose flowers that people find glorious and deer find disgusting.

— Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
Jessie blames technology for toy misfortunes, getting angry at all forms of technology, even those already discarded.

— Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026

Definition of misfortunes

Noun

In addition to common ailments, travel insurance medical coverage typically includes injuries sustained from being an innocent bystander in civil unrest.

— Liz Knueven, CNBC, 22 July 2026
In another case, a California prison guard with spinal problems also claimed other ailments, including toenail fungus and eczema, as work-disabling conditions.

— Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 16 July 2026

Definition of ailments

Noun

Cox’s observation accompanied a new report the LDF released last week along with the New York Civil Liberties Union on how the state can right its wrongs.

— Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026
Brian Kilmeade views the semiquincentennial as an opportunity to reflect on the nation's founding courage and vision, while Lawrence Jones highlights America's continuous improvement despite past wrongs.

— Mark Joyella, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

Definition of wrongs

Noun

The mother, identified only as Barbara, shared her story exclusively with CBS News Miami to highlight the recent rise in similar tragedies in South Florida.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
The organization also encouraged anyone affected by the tragedies to seek support through the British Eventing Support Trust Helpline and asked that the families’ privacy be respected during this difficult time.

— Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026

Definition of tragedies

Noun

Although the first illnesses began in mid-May, the CDC didn’t notify the public or healthcare providers about the outbreak until July 14.

— Blake Ellis, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
While multiple cooling towers have tested positive for Legionella bacteria, investigators have not determined which, if any, are responsible for the illnesses.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 19 July 2026

Definition of illnesses

Noun

In addition to public goods, AI will also create public bads.

— James Broughel, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026
Naturally, the meeting is a flop because no one was prepared, and their spontaneous ideas are frankly fireable-offense bad (a baguette bag shaped like a baguette for Paris?

— Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025