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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ill
Tracy Neal, arkansasonline.com, 7 Jan. 2025
In the five years after his 2009 paper, there were essentially no scientific studies linking food processing to ill health.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 30 Dec. 2024
This month, more than 80 people reportedly fell ill after eating oysters at the Los Angeles Times 101 Best Restaurants event, USA TODAY previously reported.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 30 Dec. 2024
Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 20 Dec. 2024
No, this is not a panacea for all our social and political ills.
—Jon Lapook, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ill 
Adjective
Whitten told police his daughter had been ill since Christmas, according to the affidavit.
—Tracy Neal, arkansasonline.com, 7 Jan. 2025
In the five years after his 2009 paper, there were essentially no scientific studies linking food processing to ill health.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Adverb
People who fall ill with norovirus typically recover within one to three days, per the CDC.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 30 Dec. 2024
This month, more than 80 people reportedly fell ill after eating oysters at the Los Angeles Times 101 Best Restaurants event, USA TODAY previously reported.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 30 Dec. 2024
Noun
The report also outlined recommendations for healing communities wracked by the social ills wrought by the schools, for revitalizing language and cultural support, for reunifying families, for reforms in tribal community education and for steps to reduce violence in tribal communities.
—Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 20 Dec. 2024
No, this is not a panacea for all our social and political ills.
—Jon Lapook, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
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In a society where adults often come to work sick, teaching teens to take care of themselves is important.Maya Dollarhide, Parents, 17 Jan. 2025
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In addition to the production losses, there are additional labor and supply costs to manage the outbreak in the herd, including separation and supportive care of sick cows.Kimberly Dodd, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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As a result, regulators will introduce more stringent rules and frameworks aimed at curbing the harmful effects of false information.Stu Sjouwerman, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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Many advocacy organizations have also warned that age verification laws that require users to provide their government IDs pose serious privacy threats, while not actually protecting minors from harmful online content.James Factora, Them, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Story will be a free agent and at this stage why would an accomplished player stay with the poorly run Rockies?BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2021
Adjective
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With sleep disorders affecting approximately 70 million Americans and poor sleep linked to serious health risks like heart disease, stroke and cognitive decline, the Tone Buds represent a significant advancement in personal sleep technology.Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025
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Everybody connected to the death of this poor guy is dead now.Makena Gera, People.com, 12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Something ominous, if not entirely novel, is taking shape in Washington.David Remnick, The New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2025
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In the winter, the opening acts like a chimney for the warmer water below, giving the spring a steaming underworld look and its ominous name.Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2025
Adverb
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Look no further than the image of Jey Uso standing on the announcers’ table with Travis Scott and Pat McAfee during his entrance — whipping fans into a frenzy as a drone flew around him and out over the crowd — for a taste of the energy Uso brings to the ring.Joe Otterson, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
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Now no senior in America, no matter what their prescription bills are, can be charged more than $2,000 a year.USA TODAY, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This can lead to detrimental long-term health effects, such as triggering chronic conditions such as asthma as well as obstructive lung disease like bronchitis.Omer Awan, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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Hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs, possibly a million or more, were swept into camps and prisons, with former detainees reporting abuse, disease and, in some cases, death.Dake Kang and Huizhong Wu, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Cooper, most troublingly, is not himself, his body used by a doppelgänger as an engine for evil.Esther Zuckerman, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
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Unsettling, for sure, and oftentimes evil, but the subjective always seemed to be priority for Lynch.Maya Ibbitson, Architectural Digest, 17 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ill
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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