terminal illness

American  

[tur-muh-nl il-nis] / ˈtɜr mə nl ˈɪl nɪs /

Sometimes life-limiting illness

noun

terminal illnesses plural

1. a disease or condition that cannot be cured and will almost certainly lead to death.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• terminal illnesses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of terminal illness

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

terminal illness

This raises a momentous question: If diagnosed with a terminal illness, how can you weigh the decision in a calm, unhurried, fully informed manner?

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Rep. Neal Dunn, a 73-year-old Florida Republican who has an undisclosed terminal illness, won’t be casting votes unless House leaders need him to, the outlet Punchbowl News reported today.

From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026

This is generally considered to be a chronic condition rather than a terminal illness.

From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026

In 2010, she was a finalist for the National Book Award for “So Much for That,” an empathetic account of a married couple facing terminal illness within a ruthless American health-care system.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026

I think most people with a terminal illness have struggled with this.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott