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

“That’s not something I have ever considered,” I replied, proud of myself that I was not agreeing and then having to fake a terminal illness.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

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

After MSPs expressed concerns at stage one, the bill now explicitly says that disability and mental illness alone do not constitute terminal illness.

From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026

Like a person with a terminal illness, I was eager to ignore the immediate symptoms, hoping for a last-minute cure.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides