as in diseases
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
an 18th-century quack who specialized in those mysterious infirmities that are known only to the idle rich
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of infirmities
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said protecting elderly people from predators who take advantage of their mental or physical infirmities is a priority of her office.
—
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Because of his infirmities, he is housed in a medical unit of the jail, away from the general population.
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
Because of his infirmities, he is housed in a medical unit of the jail, away from the general population.
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for infirmities
Noun
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More than 10,000 rare diseases affect 30 million Americans.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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Viral diseases in tomato plants cannot be treated with chemicals.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Those advocating for a fundamental reset — including Newsom, businesses, cities and counties — say a cottage industry of consultants and attorneys have morphed the claim process to include common ailments such as high blood pressure and toenail fungus.—
Joe Rubin,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
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Not only that, but Jill said physical ailments were also taking their toll on the career politician.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Noun
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This is why wastewater can give us a better picture of the prevalence of illnesses not always easily detected in a healthcare setting, said Bidwell, especially because most people recover at home without seeing a doctor or being formally diagnosed.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Community engagement remains crucial, especially since early Ebola symptoms can resemble other illnesses.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Charli isn’t pretending the world’s ills are curable through a sweaty night dancing with friends.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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Giant could have taken the same approach to Dahl as Dahl took to his own characters, clearly telegraphing the author’s ills and reducing him to them.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
Noun
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Olena started with the children, the most vulnerable refugees as well as the most likely vectors of new sicknesses in the theater.—
James Verini,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
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The most sicknesses were reported in Michigan.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Early signs can mimic a severe flu, including fevers, chills, a productive cough, and chest or back pain in cases where the lung is infected.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2026
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Ebola is tricky to clinically diagnose because symptoms at early stage of the disease are similar to other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, shigellosis, meningitis and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Infirmities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infirmities. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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