as in diseases
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
suffered from a mysterious illness that left her weak and tired all the time
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Recent Examples of illnesses
Children suffering from malnutrition can be more susceptible to contracting other illnesses, and children with preexisting conditions can be more vulnerable to becoming malnourished, experts say.
—
Pablo Robles, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Childhood illnesses had severely weakened her own heart.
—Ruchi Kumar, NPR, 14 Sep. 2025
Physical and psychological illnesses including depression, anxiety, fatigue and oral health issues were also tied to later eating.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Sierra Space is exploring how to design spacecraft for people who would never have been selected as astronauts in the past, including those with chronic illnesses or sensory impairments.
—Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Why did researchers test this nasal spray to prevent respiratory illnesses?
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
As a result, experts are becoming increasingly concerned about a potential surge in diseases that vaccines typically protect children, teens, and adults against, possibly also leading to a rise in fatalities from these illnesses.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Stifling heat caused illnesses The women contend that the commission did nothing from 2021 through 2024 to alleviate the dangerous conditions.
—Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Public records and lawsuits show that many in-custody deaths involved serious health care lapses — medication being withheld, delayed care and failure to monitor people with serious illnesses.
—Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Pablo Robles, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Childhood illnesses had severely weakened her own heart.
—Ruchi Kumar, NPR, 14 Sep. 2025
Physical and psychological illnesses including depression, anxiety, fatigue and oral health issues were also tied to later eating.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Sierra Space is exploring how to design spacecraft for people who would never have been selected as astronauts in the past, including those with chronic illnesses or sensory impairments.
—Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Why did researchers test this nasal spray to prevent respiratory illnesses?
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
As a result, experts are becoming increasingly concerned about a potential surge in diseases that vaccines typically protect children, teens, and adults against, possibly also leading to a rise in fatalities from these illnesses.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Stifling heat caused illnesses The women contend that the commission did nothing from 2021 through 2024 to alleviate the dangerous conditions.
—Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Public records and lawsuits show that many in-custody deaths involved serious health care lapses — medication being withheld, delayed care and failure to monitor people with serious illnesses.
—Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illnesses
Noun
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Parents will be especially alarmed and this will place terrible burdens on pediatricians who will need to assuage their worries in order to provide important protections against serious and sometimes fatal diseases.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
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Nurabot is currently being piloted in Taichung Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan, on a ward that treats diseases associated with the lungs, face and neck, including lung cancer and asthma.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Practitioners and patients alike have realized that there is no magical pill that treats all ailments for everyone.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Quarterback Brock Purdy has shoulder and toe ailments and will sit out at least the next two games.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Pathogens in human poop can remain active for a long time – over a year in outdoor environments – meaning that waste left behind today can cause severe gastrointestinal disease and other sicknesses for future visitors.—
B. Derrick Taff,
The Conversation,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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One dares to hope that Hollywood, for all its current ills, may finally be turning a corner, reverting back to when new ideas were held at a premium.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Sep. 2025
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In their assessments, desegregation and the passage of time have cured all of America’s racial ills.—
Time,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But current virus variants continue to spread burning throats, fevers and other miseries.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
8 Sep. 2025
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Measles also causes fevers and red, watery eyes and can lead to complications such as pneumonia or, in rare cases, brain damage and death.—
Elizabeth Chuck,
NBC News,
4 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Nutrient-rich soil in laboratories also does not reflect the challenges of field conditions.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
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Blake Lively previously identified Swift as a person in her orbit would have knowledge about discussions regarding working conditions on the set of the movie, produced by Wayfarer Studios.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Illnesses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illnesses. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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