1
2
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
one of the ill effects of winter weather is the rapid spread of germs as people spend more time together indoors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in poorly
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
since I'm ill, I guess that I'll just have to miss that dental appointment
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4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
such ill behavior will not be tolerated
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5
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
the abrupt breakdown of negotiations appears to be an ill omen for this ongoing hostage situation
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1
as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
in those days society treated debtors very ill, even going so far as to put them in prison
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2
as in no
certainly not
you can ill afford to miss another day of work
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1
as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
chicken pox and the other ills that were once a fixture of childhood
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2
as in evil
that which is morally unacceptable
idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills
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3
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
the travelers merrily set off on their journey, scarcely imagining the ills that would befall them
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ill
John Samuels, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
But the amount of rain is only one factor in how many people will become severely ill with West Nile, said Dr. Daniel Pastula, chief of neuroinfectious diseases and global neurology at University of Colorado School of Medicine.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 3 July 2025
Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The zoo announced the cub died on April 4 after unexpectedly and suddenly falling ill.
—Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Christina Smith, Baltimore Sun, 9 June 2025
In the early 1900s, journalism, the muckrakers, became highly influential, raising awareness about many social ills, including child labor, unsafe working conditions and unsanitary food processing.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
Compounding the crisis: only 85 PCPs exist per 100,000 Americans, a ratio woefully inadequate for an aging, chronically ill population.
—John Samuels, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
But the amount of rain is only one factor in how many people will become severely ill with West Nile, said Dr. Daniel Pastula, chief of neuroinfectious diseases and global neurology at University of Colorado School of Medicine.
—Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 3 July 2025
Adverb
Being away from other kids for so long left them ill equipped for the most basic interactions.
—Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The zoo announced the cub died on April 4 after unexpectedly and suddenly falling ill.
—Rachel Wegner, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Noun
Many of the societal ills described by RFK Jr. in his public statements — and this report — are indeed concerning.
—Christina Smith, Baltimore Sun, 9 June 2025
In the early 1900s, journalism, the muckrakers, became highly influential, raising awareness about many social ills, including child labor, unsafe working conditions and unsanitary food processing.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
Alaska, Michigan, and Maine are among the latest states with paid sick or family leave laws on the books.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
1 July 2025
-
Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
One of the most common and harmful examples is the Social Security Administration phishing scam, which targets unsuspecting individuals with alarming and deceptive messages.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 July 2025
-
Avoid charring or cooking over high flames, which can create harmful compounds (like HCAs and PAHs).—
Lauryn Higgins,
Time,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
The researchers and their partners are also working to track local residents’ health and to measure how well or poorly interventions like masks and household air filters protected them.—
Maggie Astor,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Both the United States and the United Nations have stepped back from leadership roles, a reflection of how poorly interventions in Haiti have gone and also the wide range of issues in other parts of the world at the moment.—
Adam Taylor,
Washington Post,
7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
-
But August is perhaps a poor month in which to rally the staff.—
John Updike,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
-
For certain situations, particularly if someone is in poor health, experts generally say claiming early makes sense.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 July 2025
-
The signs in Iran are ominous—and the pleas from Iranian Jewish elders may now go unheard.—
Roya Hakakian,
The Atlantic,
10 July 2025
Adverb
-
Once trust erodes, the entire AI architecture, no matter how sophisticated, can collapse under the weight of unreliable inputs.—
Wendy Chin,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
Attempting to replace these institutional frameworks represents a decades-long project with vanishingly small chances of success no matter how much money is thrown at it.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Vaccination Rates Are Declining Despite the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, and the potential severity of the disease, vaccination rates are declining.—
Dave Wessner,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Sitting or standing on the plate for just a few minutes can help with lymphatic drainage, in return reducing swelling, boosting the immune system, and lessening the chance of disease.—
Kristin Auble,
Vogue,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Andy, once a centuries-old immortal who has now lost her healing powers, must race across continents to recover her magic, all the while facing deadly mercenaries and ancient evils.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
-
The motive can be summarized as pure agency, pure evil; in other words, premeditated murder.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
4 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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