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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Nicole Briese, People.com, 11 June 2025
The musician, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges relating to shooting Frederick Rooks in Jan. 2021.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 11 June 2025
Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
The Jamaica Observer reported that McCallum fell ill while driving to a gym and pulled off the road.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
The outset was more about identifying the mental health of the practitioner than identifying the ills in society ...
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
In the late '90s, Marks returned to tour with the group when Carl, who was ill with cancer, was unable to tour.
—Nicole Briese, People.com, 11 June 2025
The musician, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges relating to shooting Frederick Rooks in Jan. 2021.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 11 June 2025
Adverb
Gail Patterson's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, also died after eating the lunch, while her 68-year-old husband, Ian Wilkinson, fell seriously ill and remained hospitalized for weeks.
—Chloe Mayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
The Jamaica Observer reported that McCallum fell ill while driving to a gym and pulled off the road.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Noun
For his part, the Briton suggested winning in Monaco was not a cure to all ills.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
The outset was more about identifying the mental health of the practitioner than identifying the ills in society ...
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
King Charles and Kate Middleton were both diagnosed with cancer, with the King reportedly still very sick.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
20 June 2025
-
If Rob and Ryan are struck by lightning, get bored, fall out, get sick or lose a court case, will Wrexham look so transcendent?—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
Research has found that building roads can fragment habitats, disrupt ecosystems, and increase erosion and sediment pollution in drinking water, among other potentially harmful outcomes.—
Hayley Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
-
This kind of leadership without empathy is not only unsustainable but actively harmful to morale and performance.—
Jody Michael,
Forbes.com,
23 June 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
-
For example, when a company pivots, a poor communicator’s vague memo creates fear.—
Lori Huss,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
-
In past decades, this stage was easy to spot: clashing colors, poor makeup attempts, and wardrobes inspired by favorite TV stars.—
Dia Gallo,
Parents,
17 June 2025
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 June 2025
-
In another ominous sign, inventory levels have risen +1.7%.—
Robert Barone,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Adverb
-
Senate Democrats plan to bring up the claim that shortly after Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act to speed up deportations, Bove said planes carrying migrants needed to take off no matter what.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
25 June 2025
-
However, no matter how far Jo finds herself from her old life, her mission remains the same, to keep her son alive.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Millions of survivors Because of so many improvements in cancer diagnosis and treatment, many millions more people are surviving the disease, often for many years.—
Yuki Noguchi,
NPR,
16 June 2025
-
Outcomes are less positive when the disease is diagnosed in adults, per the Clinic.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
15 June 2025
Noun
-
The primary concern of the book was pacifism—the rejection of all violence, even to combat evil.—
Ben Woollard,
JSTOR Daily,
18 June 2025
-
This national recognition of the evils of slavery comes during a significant backlash against teaching American history, as well as an erosion of other civil rights, namely a rollback of voting rights in places that have high populations of Black voters.—
Jenny Singer,
Glamour,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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