terminal illness

American  

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

Sometimes life-limiting illness

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of terminal illness

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Here’s another one: Ryusuke Hamaguchi, whose roving “Drive My Car” surprised everyone, is back with a sad-sounding movie about terminal illness, “All of a Sudden.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 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

This comes as MSPs in Scotland prepare to vote on their own assisted dying bill on Tuesday, that would allow mentally competent adults with a terminal illness to seek medical help to end their lives.

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