1
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
2
as in evils
that which is morally unacceptable
idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ills
And this one guy at this one firm can't solve all of his industry's ills.
—
Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, NPR, 8 Apr. 2026
Even as professional coders are becoming increasingly enthusiastic about the power of AI coding tools, many end users still see them as a boogeyman to instantly blame for any and all observed ills in the tech industry.
—ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2026
In their absence, the three remaining candidates pounded on a wide array of municipal ills, including broken sidewalks, high rents and sluggish housing production.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
In his songs, the Virginia rapper renders societal ills in high definition.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
The first New Mexico trial on the ills and dangers of social media platforms began in February after a nearly three-year probe by the state.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
And Pearl, while making his team’s case Thursday, unwittingly did a fine job of spelling out the ills of expansion as well.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Hollywood has always been an easy political punching bag–a convenient scapegoat for a host of intractable ills.
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Reform’s pitch to voters is that, for many of these ills, mass immigration is to blame.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 24 Feb. 2026
Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, NPR, 8 Apr. 2026
Even as professional coders are becoming increasingly enthusiastic about the power of AI coding tools, many end users still see them as a boogeyman to instantly blame for any and all observed ills in the tech industry.
—ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2026
In their absence, the three remaining candidates pounded on a wide array of municipal ills, including broken sidewalks, high rents and sluggish housing production.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
In his songs, the Virginia rapper renders societal ills in high definition.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
The first New Mexico trial on the ills and dangers of social media platforms began in February after a nearly three-year probe by the state.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
And Pearl, while making his team’s case Thursday, unwittingly did a fine job of spelling out the ills of expansion as well.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Hollywood has always been an easy political punching bag–a convenient scapegoat for a host of intractable ills.
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Reform’s pitch to voters is that, for many of these ills, mass immigration is to blame.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ills
Noun
-
Overwatering can leave grass with weak roots and vulnerable to diseases, so stick to a schedule and spot-treat patches if needed.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
17 Apr. 2026
-
However, these squashes can also be vulnerable to common plant diseases like powdery mildew or mosaic virus.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yes, voters might choose Democrats as the lesser of two evils this November, but that doesn’t mean Americans are out there buying Democratic foam fingers.—
Matt K. Lewis,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The show mostly avoids the politics that swirl around the design business, especially these days when critics are obsessed with the environmental evils of fast fashion and the shortcomings of an industry known to exploit labor around the globe.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Philadelphia singer-songwriter seeks out the mystical potential of quotidian misfortunes in a set of psychedelic-of-center bedroom pop songs.—
Lily Goldberg,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
-
But a staggering series of misfortunes – an arsonist destroyed her rental house; the private equity firm that owned the house still demanded two months’ rent and kept her security deposit; she was diagnosed with ovarian and breast cancer – forced her into tenuous housing situations.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) played in only two games, while quarterback Lamar Jackson missed four games and played through various nagging ailments in others.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
And as an athlete, I was faced with so many different physical ailments, from muscle soreness, back strains, muscle tears, broken ankles, to my bigger crashes and all of those things.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nick Offerman rounds out the complex family unit as Margo’s estranged father, Jinx, a former pro wrestler fresh out of rehab who returns to her life in an attempt to right his wrongs.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Last year, Algerian legislators voted to declare France’s colonization of the North African country a crime, approving a law that calls for restitution of property taken by France during its 130-year rule, among other demands seeking to redress historical wrongs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The saddies of Enid’s notebook all a little uncanny, as in any good comic, yet terribly human in their tragedies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Apr. 2026
-
As in all tragedies of chivalry, the alliance will split.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Aging and damaged brain cells, or neurons, can cause memory problems and limit the brain’s ability to recover from illnesses.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
17 Apr. 2026
-
This challenge is compounded for older Americans with multiple chronic illnesses — the fastest-growing segment of our population.—
Benjamin Kornitzer,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While working together on The Unit, David Mamet once told you that good drama isn’t a choice between good and bad; good drama is the choice between two bads.—
Max Gao,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Reports out of fall camp haven’t been super favorable to their offense, and while the defense will, again, be top-notch, a team with this bad of an offense cannot be trusted.—
Austin Mock,
The Athletic,
19 Aug. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ills. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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