ill

[ il ]

/ ɪl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR ill ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, worse, worst; ill·er, ill·est for 7.

of unsound physical or mental health; unwell; sick: She felt ill, so her teacher sent her to the nurse.

objectionable; unsatisfactory; poor; faulty: ill manners.

hostile; unkindly: ill feeling.

evil; wicked; bad: of ill repute.

unfavorable; adverse: ill fortune.

of inferior worth or ability; unskillful; inexpert: an ill example of scholarship.

Slang. great; amazing: His mom is the illest cook.

noun

an unfavorable opinion or statement: I can speak no ill of her.

harm or injury: His remarks did much ill.

trouble, distress, or misfortune: Many ills befell him.

evil: to know the difference between good and ill.

sickness or disease.

adverb

in an ill manner.

unsatisfactorily; poorly: It ill befits a man to betray old friends.

in a hostile or unfriendly manner.

unfavorably; unfortunately.

with displeasure or offense.

faultily; improperly.

with difficulty or inconvenience; scarcely: Buying a new car is an expense we can ill afford.

QUIZZES

TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT 2ND-3RD GRADE VOCAB FROM BOOKS!

Are you learning new vocabulary? Or do you just have an interest in words? Either way, this quiz is for you.

Question 1 of 10

orchard

body of land completely surrounded by water

group of cultivated fruit trees

long mournful cry

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for ill

ill at ease, socially uncomfortable; nervous: They were ill at ease because they didn't speak the language.

Origin of ill

1150–1200; Middle English ill(e) (noun and adj.) < Old Norse illr (adj.) ill, bad

SYNONYMS FOR ill

1 unhealthy, ailing, diseased, afflicted.

4 wrong, iniquitous.

9 hurt, pain, affliction, misery.

10 calamity.

11 depravity.

12 illness, affliction.

14 badly.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR ill ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR ill

1 well, healthy.

4 good.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR ill ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for ill

1. Ill, sick mean being in bad health, not being well. Ill is the more formal word. In the U.S. the two words are used practically interchangeably except that sick is always used when the word modifies the following noun: He looks sick ( ill ); a sick person. In England, sick is not interchangeable with ill, but usually has the connotation of nauseous: She got sick and threw up. sick, however, is used before nouns just as in the U.S.: a sick man. 4. See bad¹.

grammar notes for ill

See well¹.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ill

ill sick¹ (see synonym study at the current entry)

Words nearby ill

ilium, ilk, ilka, ilkeston, ilkley, ill, ill at ease, ill fame, ill feeling, ill humor, ill humour

Definition for ill (2 of 4)

ill.

illustrated.

illustration.

illustrator.

most illustrious.

Origin of ill.

(def 4) < Latin illustrissimus

Definition for ill (3 of 4)

Ill.

Illinois.

Definition for ill (4 of 4)

I'll

[ ahyl ]

/ aɪl /

contraction of I will.

usage note for I'll

See contraction.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH I'll

aisle I'll isle

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for ill

They had rarely seen their own fathers carry small children unless their mothers were ill.
How Good Dads Can Change the World|Gary Barker, PhD, Michael Kaufman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
David Prowse, the actor who portrayed Darth Vader, wished to come back but had to turn down the role because of ill health.
Juiciest ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rumors (and Some Debunked Ones)|Rich Goldstein|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The more I become dissipated, ill, a broken pitcher, the more I too become a creative artist in that great revival of art.
Decoding Vincent Van Gogh’s Tempestuous, Fragile Mind|Nick Mafi|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was way too ill to visit the set and all that, but was very curious about the film.
Idris Elba on Eric Garner, ‘Mi Mandela,’ and Selling Weed to Dave Chappelle|Marlow Stern|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST

One of the last great rascal pols, Marion Barry left his mark—for good and ill—on Washington, D.C., and the country.
Despite Crack and Graft, D.C. Loved ‘Hizzoner’ Marion Barry|Lloyd Grove|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was driven to take refuge in a miserable little place, where I fared as ill as possible.
Sketches in Canada, and rambles among the red men|Anna Brownell Jameson
She was so ill that it was impossible for them to consider in how far she was to blame for what had happened.
War and Peace|Leo Tolstoy
A consultation then takes place, and they may think that the word is "ill."
My Book of Indoor Games|Clarence Squareman
Then there were long strings of neutral days when you did not think well of life, or ill of it.
Steel|Charles Rumford Walker
And it might so easily have been the other way—Emil who was ill and Amedee who was sad!
O Pioneers!|Willa Cather

British Dictionary definitions for ill (1 of 3)

ill

/ (ɪl) /

adjective worse or worst

(usually postpositive) not in good health; sick

characterized by or intending evil, harm, etc; hostileill deeds

causing or resulting in pain, harm, adversity, etcill effects

ascribing or imputing evil to something referred toill repute

promising an unfavourable outcome; unpropitiousan ill omen

harsh; lacking kindnessill will

not up to an acceptable standard; faultyill manners

ill at ease unable to relax; uncomfortable