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
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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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Potatoes are highly susceptible to pests like the Colorado potato beetle and diseases like late blight that caused the Irish potato famine.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
23 May 2026
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According to the Cleveland Clinic, a stem cell transplant can treat — and sometimes cure — certain blood disorders, cancers and autoimmune diseases by replacing unhealthy stem cells with healthy ones, either from the patient's own bone marrow or donated stem cells from another person.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
Noun
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Indicators can be so subtle and nonspecific that doctors tend to misattribute them to other, more common, ailments—which can delay diagnosis, sometimes for years.—
Nami Mun,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
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The rotation has been marvelous from the get-go despite its ailments.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Sullivan battled multiple illnesses while her body struggled to protect itself.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
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Nurse practitioners diagnose illnesses, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications and help patients manage both short-term and chronic health conditions.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Chambers grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, which has become something of a poster-child of the ills of deindustrialization.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
19 May 2026
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The expectations, the hope is so high for that prescription to be the salve for their ills.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
25 Apr. 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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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
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At first, hantavirus can feel like the flu, with patients suffering from fatigue, fevers, chills and aches.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Infirmities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/infirmities. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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