as in diseases
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
in the olden days people were always suffering from some unknown malady
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Recent Examples of maladies
As hotel values in 2025 rose in Southern California, a slump in Northern California showed a decline that suggests the market remains weighed down by a host of economic maladies, a new report shows.
—
George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
More marketers of health and wellness products and services came to the Super Bowl to tout weight loss pills, telehealth services and even getting consumers to take tests that might identify potential maladies.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
Relying on medications as front-line, first-choice solutions for today’s major maladies ignores two alternative approaches that may more effectively address our most common conditions.
—Thomas Goetz, STAT, 8 Jan. 2026
Since being diagnosed with a number of maladies over the years, including hypothyroidism, leaky gut and a gluten intolerance, McCarthy has been on a quest to put better things not only in her body but on her body.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
To paraphrase Tolstoy, all stable liberal democracies have a family resemblance; all failing dictatorships have maladies of their own.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
Previously, skeptics have argued that China’s regime would be toppled, or its economic growth torpedoed, by a variety of maladies—public backlash in response to repressive COVID-19 policies, for example, or the costs of mitigating environmental devastation.
—Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025
And the Sea Lions have dealt with a number of maladies, most recently a hamstring injury to Langford.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
This work transformed me and healed me of many modern maladies.
—Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
More marketers of health and wellness products and services came to the Super Bowl to tout weight loss pills, telehealth services and even getting consumers to take tests that might identify potential maladies.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 8 Feb. 2026
Relying on medications as front-line, first-choice solutions for today’s major maladies ignores two alternative approaches that may more effectively address our most common conditions.
—Thomas Goetz, STAT, 8 Jan. 2026
Since being diagnosed with a number of maladies over the years, including hypothyroidism, leaky gut and a gluten intolerance, McCarthy has been on a quest to put better things not only in her body but on her body.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026
To paraphrase Tolstoy, all stable liberal democracies have a family resemblance; all failing dictatorships have maladies of their own.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
Previously, skeptics have argued that China’s regime would be toppled, or its economic growth torpedoed, by a variety of maladies—public backlash in response to repressive COVID-19 policies, for example, or the costs of mitigating environmental devastation.
—Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2025
And the Sea Lions have dealt with a number of maladies, most recently a hamstring injury to Langford.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
This work transformed me and healed me of many modern maladies.
—Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maladies
Noun
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This exam enables the doctor to detect early signs of these diseases and prescribe appropriate treatments at their earliest stages.—
Mark Ryan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
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Dane went on to advocate for legislation addressing research on neurodegenerative diseases.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And Floridians who never saw a flame e were hit with respiratory ailments, with some forced to move out of state until the smoke and ash settled.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
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Peterson, who’s dealt with cramping issues (and other ailments) all season, played 32 minutes.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Members of the Artemis II crew — NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen — are starting their roughly two-week quarantine to limit their exposure to illnesses before their flight.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
20 Feb. 2026
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Now that a successful prelaunch fueling test has been completed, the astronauts are due to re-enter quarantine at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to avoid exposure to any illnesses.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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For all its ills, social media can also be an entry point for anyone interested in Chicago history and the city’s varied eccentricities.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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The conductor added that opera not only reveals societal ills but can model what an ideal society can look like.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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From the moment the kids set foot back at school in the fall, until some time around spring break, parents can expect sicknesses to take over their homes faster than the latest viral slang expression.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
10 Jan. 2026
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And among parents, the fear of illnesses like polio, measles and other sicknesses were always present.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
18 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Maladies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maladies. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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