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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ill
Evens Sanon and Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Between 2013 and 2019, raw milk was responsible for 75 outbreaks of foodborne ill in the U.S., affecting 675 people — around half of which were aged 0-19.
—Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Amy Wilkinson, Vulture, 23 Nov. 2024
The other plaintiff in the lawsuit is on the junior varsity team, but as a top runner there, could be in contention for a varsity spot should any of the varsity runners fall ill or get injured.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2024
J. Marcos Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Nov. 2024
The decline of in-person theater attendance, seen by many as one of the biggest ills affecting the industry, also seems to be not such a big problem for those financing AFM-friendly independent films, which have not traditionally focused on theatrical deals.
—Todd Longwell, Variety, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ill 
Adjective
The National Human Rights Defense Network said the massacre occurred because the gang leader’s child had been severely ill, prompting him to seek advice from a Vodou priest.
—Evens Sanon and Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Between 2013 and 2019, raw milk was responsible for 75 outbreaks of foodborne ill in the U.S., affecting 675 people — around half of which were aged 0-19.
—Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Adverb
So ill, in fact, that Claire is unable to find a pulse.
—Amy Wilkinson, Vulture, 23 Nov. 2024
The other plaintiff in the lawsuit is on the junior varsity team, but as a top runner there, could be in contention for a varsity spot should any of the varsity runners fall ill or get injured.
—Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2024
Noun
The party spent the last four years demonizing men and blaming us for all of society’s ills.
—J. Marcos Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Nov. 2024
The decline of in-person theater attendance, seen by many as one of the biggest ills affecting the industry, also seems to be not such a big problem for those financing AFM-friendly independent films, which have not traditionally focused on theatrical deals.
—Todd Longwell, Variety, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
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But then Carey got sick with the flu, and was forced to cancel the first show of her 2024 Christmas Time tour.Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2024
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By Weiland’s estimates, up to 300,000 people in the U.S. are currently getting sick with COVID-19 each day, compared to around 1 million cases per day around this time in recent years.Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Another growing problem is the use of harmful flame retardants in the plastic enclosures around batteries.Arlene Blum, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
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While his anti-vaccine views have drawn widespread criticism, his stance on combating chronic disease by ridding the nation’s food supply of harmful chemicals and ingredients broadly aligns with efforts from both sides of the political aisle and has been praised by leading public health experts.Nik Popli, TIME, 6 Dec. 2024
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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Baby is a poor sleeper, so the mother has to tend to him day and night while also running the household.Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024
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In many poor and densely populated neighborhoods across the country, people have access to free, unmetered electricity.Nasser Karimi and Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That’s an ominous sign for higher education leaders, who now must prepare to address a slow, continuing slide in high-school seniors, who make up the bulk of their entering students every year.Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Rolling with the sound of Slo-Be Bryant 3, one of the great West Coast tapes of the 2020s, Slo-Be’s steely, ominous murmurs give his sentimental gangster rap the air of sorcery.Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 9 Dec. 2024
Adverb
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Simply put, this is unacceptable, and everyone, no matter your opinion on this case, should condemn it.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Andy, Wendy, and Natalie are content to get by no matter what comes their way, but Nicola feels everything much more intensely.Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The diet has been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and related conditions like obesity, high cholesterol and hypertension.Randi Richardson, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
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Read more Dengue Party Tray Recall Sparks Warning in 7 States This year's crisis is compounded by the resurgence of dengue serotype 3 in parts of Central America and the Caribbean, a strain not widely seen in over a decade, according to Thais dos Santos, PAHO's adviser on arboviral diseases.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The show felt joyously anarchic and kind of evil at the same time.Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 19 Dec. 2024
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As the film’s wealthy Pennsylvania industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren, Pearce creates a psychologically penetrating portrait of a man who is by turns generous and predatory, inquisitive and closed off, someone who ultimately reveals himself to be capable of true evil.Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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