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
Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Raducanu, who has been feeling unwell for the past week, and had to retire ill from her match against Ann Li at the Wuhan Open last Tuesday.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
If companies decline to share information about a data breach, this could leave others ill-prepared, especially those with less advanced security programs, Kennedy added.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Speaking ill of Mike Trout’s flawless game was impossible.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
However, it was postponed due to Pope Francis' ill health at the time.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Raducanu, who has been feeling unwell for the past week, and had to retire ill from her match against Ann Li at the Wuhan Open last Tuesday.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Starkey fell ill in 1994 with a leukemia diagnosis and passed away that same year, aged 48.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2025
If companies decline to share information about a data breach, this could leave others ill-prepared, especially those with less advanced security programs, Kennedy added.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
Pandora has opened her box and its ills are fully integrated into our world.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Speaking ill of Mike Trout’s flawless game was impossible.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
Only sea stars injected with Vibrio pectenicida, or with material from sick sea stars, showed signs of disease.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The Aquarium’s Rescue and Rehabilitation team also spends several months every year caring for sick and injured green sea turtles at its Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Massachusetts.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The findings come just a couple years after another study conducted by Spanish and Brazilian researchers revealed the existence of potentially harmful bisphenol chemicals in clothing sold in Spain for pregnant women, newborns and toddlers.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
-
According to one study, people may become either psychologically or physically dependent on caffeine, which may be harmful.—
Brittany Lubeck,
Verywell Health,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This involves having a poorly or non-functioning colon and is not usually reversible.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
17 Aug. 2025
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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
Adjective
-
Porter has been a lead creator before, but that was on cellar-dwelling Houston Rockets squads that became a breeding ground for poor habits.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Young people want better governance and are fed up with suffering from poor services and economies while their leaders get rich around them and inequality grows.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Twin Cities,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Several stories account for the ominous name of the stark, forbidding mountains.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
On July 14, a jury of 10 women and two men found Serafini guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder for the shooting that killed his father-in-law Gary Spohr, 70, and severely wounded his mother-in-law, Wendy Wood, 68, at their home.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
21 Oct. 2025
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But Israel continues to severely restrict crossings open for aid shipments and who can send aid through them.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
21 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
But excellence and independence are all but impossible to consistently maintain without the steady backing of mentors or salaries, and when the incentives of the internet reward virality no matter how it’s achieved.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Nevertheless The Grabber is a fun nemesis, and this movie no doubt is set up for yet another sequel in a few years time, hopefully with Finn and Gwen as young adults still haunted.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Indoor cats live for 15 to 17 years on average, while outdoor felines live only for 2 to 5 years due to dangers such as extreme temperatures, wildlife, and disease.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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In fact, foods like fatty fish, olive oil, berries, and leafy greens have strong evidence supporting their strong anti-inflammatory effects and their ability to protect against chronic inflammatory diseases.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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