1
as in illness
the condition of not being in good health
she was plagued by sickness most of her adult life
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant or animal's normal bodily functioning
a sickness that resulted in the death of millions of the nation's elm trees
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in nausea
a disturbed condition of the stomach in which one feels like vomiting
the sickness that many women feel during the early months of a pregnancy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sickness
This was accompanied by sickness, bloating and diarrhea.
—
Adam England, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
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
Hantavirus was first identified as a cause of sickness of one of the cases on May 2.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
City officials did not immediately respond to a question Thursday afternoon about whether any bacterial sickness in humans had been reported.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sickness
Adam England, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026
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
Hantavirus was first identified as a cause of sickness of one of the cases on May 2.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
City officials did not immediately respond to a question Thursday afternoon about whether any bacterial sickness in humans had been reported.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sickness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickness
Noun
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The tracker takes heat illness data from patient complaints and doctor diagnoses provided by a countywide monitoring project that was previously available only to public health officials.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Dangerous heat and limited cooling Out of the 104 games, 67 of them are being held at locations and times that come with potential danger for heat illnesses, with 39 of those at high risk, according to their historical wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT).—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
4 June 2026
Noun
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But some researchers who were involved in the network say the cuts weakened relationships with experts abroad that had been fostered over years, undercutting research collaborations on dangerous diseases like Ebola.—
Theresa Gaffney,
STAT,
3 June 2026
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The company also flags baseline cardiac disease, abnormal ECG, arrhythmia, prior cervical vagotomy, abnormal cervical anatomy, brain tumor or aneurysm history, head trauma, syncope, seizures and nickel allergy as unevaluated risks.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Potential side effects of GLP-1s include nausea, vomiting, changes in vision, low blood sugar, and, in rare cases, thyroid cancer.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
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Four months of chemotherapy followed, with nausea and exhaustion that never quite let up.—
Ayren Jackson-Cannady,
SELF,
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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Blaming the Cubs’ ills on off-the-field issues is entertaining and keeps some sportswriters employed well past their expiration date.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
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The catalog of ills is familiar.—
Danielle Allen,
The Atlantic,
21 May 2026
Noun
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The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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Early signs such as fever or weakness can resemble other viruses, before progressing to diarrhea and vomiting.—
Jane Weaver,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickness. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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