illness
Americannoun
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poor health; sickness.
He grew up in an environment known for poverty, illness, and little opportunity for education.
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a specific sickness or disease, or an instance of such.
Please be as accurate as possible in listing your childhood illnesses.
- Synonyms:
- infirmity, affliction, ailment
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Obsolete. wickedness.
noun
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a disease or indisposition; sickness
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a state of ill health
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obsolete wickedness
Usage
What does illness mean? Illness is a state of poor health or sickness, as in I’ve had to miss a lot of work due to illness. The word illness is also commonly used to refer to a disease or instance of sickness. This sense of the word is often used when the type of disease is uncertain or unknown or when someone doesn’t want to specify what it is, as in They said that he is in the hospital with an illness, but they didn’t provide any further details. The word illness is based on the adjective ill, meaning sick. Example: The best way to avoid illness is to thoroughly wash your hands.
Etymology
Origin of illness
Compare meaning
How does illness compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company also received a violation for allegedly failing to “implement and effective written injury and illness prevention program” in accordance with state law.
From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026
Raducanu, who starts her French Open campaign against Argentina's Solana Sierra on Sunday, has been blighted by injuries and illness in recent years.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
Once these cells accumulate, they can interfere with normal tissue structure and contribute to chronic illness.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2026
His team had said earlier in the day that he had been hospitalized with a severe illness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Was it an emotion, like pride or aggression, or a type of illness?
From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
