1
as in illness
the condition of not being in good health
she was plagued by sickness most of her adult life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sickness
Kind of like with any sickness, getting to the root of the problem with a medical professional will do more than downing a multitude of hot beverages.
—
Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2026
In addition to bird flu concerns among commercial and backyard flocks, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is asking the public to be on alert for sickness in wild birds as migration ramps up in the coming weeks.
—Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
This can also help keep sickness at bay, as a healthier gut microbiome is linked to better immune function, according to Wright.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 20 Feb. 2026
On top of the sickness running through the team, the Huskies are also managing a slew of minor injuries.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sickness
Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2026
In addition to bird flu concerns among commercial and backyard flocks, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is asking the public to be on alert for sickness in wild birds as migration ramps up in the coming weeks.
—Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
This can also help keep sickness at bay, as a healthier gut microbiome is linked to better immune function, according to Wright.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 20 Feb. 2026
On top of the sickness running through the team, the Huskies are also managing a slew of minor injuries.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sickness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickness
Noun
-
After falling behind early in camp due to an illness, Sheehan made his first appearance in the Cactus League Wednesday against Team Mexico.—
Jack Vita,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
When faced with a patient suffering from an illness, many nurses err on the side of prescribing something.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Detainees have described a camp where an average of about 3,000 people per day live in loud and unsanitary quarters, diseases spread easily and sleep is a luxury.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
-
That same month, Stewart, who had dedicated his career to ticks and Lyme disease as a federal scientist, retired early.—
Rachana Pradhan,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If ingested, the worms can cause severe headaches, stiff neck, the sensation of tingling or painful skin, low-grade fever, nausea, vomiting, coma and sometimes death.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Symptoms can include cough, fever, shortness of breath, headaches and nausea.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The complaint states Geter Pinder suffers from severe emotional distress, anxiety, paranoia about her safety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other ailments.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The complaint states Geter Pinder suffers from severe emotional distress, anxiety, paranoia about her safety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other ailments.—
Abby Dodge,
Miami Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Faced with high rates of suicide and other ills such as addiction, corrections officers have long been concerned about the stress and violence of their jobs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 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
Noun
-
Atomic-scale materials Modern processors suffer from internal fevers as billions of transistors generate heat that impacts performance and external sensors struggle to measure accurately.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
-
If ingested, the worms can cause severe headaches, stiff neck, the sensation of tingling or painful skin, low-grade fever, nausea, vomiting, coma and sometimes death.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickness. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
