sickness

noun

sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs How to pronounce sickness (audio)
Synonyms of sicknessnext
1
a
: ill health : illness
b
: a disordered, weakened, or unsound condition
2
: a specific disease
3
: nausea, queasiness

Synonyms of sickness

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Examples of sickness in a Sentence

He died from an unknown sickness. she was plagued by sickness most of her adult life
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Somewhat diminished in the film’s erratic attempts to contextualize this ever-metastasizing sickness is Odeh himself. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2026 But important clues about how the sickness operates are emerging from the latest studies of bacterial DNA in ancient bones and teeth. — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026 In the Buendías’ legacy of love and betrayal, loyalty and idealism, there was domestic and political violence, but there was also ice in the middle of the jungle and a sickness that put the whole town to sleep and girls that became witches. — Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026 So there has never been a moment when sickness has been real. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sickness

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sickness was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing sickness

Rhymes for sickness

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Browse Nearby Words

sickly sweet
sickness
sickness benefit
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Cite this Entry

“Sickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sickness. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sickness

noun
sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs How to pronounce sickness (audio)
1
: ill health : illness
2
: a specific disease : malady
3
: nausea sense 1

Medical Definition

sickness

noun
sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs How to pronounce sickness (audio)
1
: the condition of being ill : ill health
2
: a specific disease
3
: nausea
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