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

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

Jurisdictions that initially limit assisted suicide to terminal illness face pressure to expand access to chronic conditions or psychological suffering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 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