1
2
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
one of the ill effects of winter weather is the rapid spread of germs as people spend more time together indoors
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in poorly
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
since I'm ill, I guess that I'll just have to miss that dental appointment
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4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
such ill behavior will not be tolerated
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5
as in ominous
being or showing a sign of evil or calamity to come
the abrupt breakdown of negotiations appears to be an ill omen for this ongoing hostage situation
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1
as in severely
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
in those days society treated debtors very ill, even going so far as to put them in prison
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2
as in no
certainly not
you can ill afford to miss another day of work
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1
as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
chicken pox and the other ills that were once a fixture of childhood
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2
as in evil
that which is morally unacceptable
idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills
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3
as in misfortune
bad luck or an example of this
the travelers merrily set off on their journey, scarcely imagining the ills that would befall them
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ill
Reuters,
NBC news,
3 July 2026
While anyone can get sick, young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill.
—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 July 2026
John Liu,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
Lionel Richie is postponing his next two shows after falling ill on stage in Minnesota during the first night of his nationwide tour with Earth Wind and Fire on Wednesday.
—
Mason Leib,
ABC News,
25 June 2026
Rance Collins,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 June 2026
Of course, some of society’s foremost ills in 2026 owe themselves to the World Wide Web.
—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
Butler denied having felt ill, and no alcohol or common street drugs were in his system, the affidavit said.
—
Reuters,
NBC news,
3 July 2026
While anyone can get sick, young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become seriously ill.
—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 July 2026
Adverb
Following years of economic devastation and underinvestment in public services, the country’s infrastructure – from hospitals to electricity and water – is ill-equipped to deal with a crisis like this.
—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
25 June 2026
Lionel Richie is postponing his next two shows after falling ill on stage in Minnesota during the first night of his nationwide tour with Earth Wind and Fire on Wednesday.
—
Mason Leib,
ABC News,
25 June 2026
Noun
Through humor, the master is about to expose humanity's ills.
—
Rance Collins,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 June 2026
Of course, some of society’s foremost ills in 2026 owe themselves to the World Wide Web.
—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
If a sick animal did end up at a slaughterhouse, the US Department of Agriculture’s thorough meat inspection system would very likely spot it, separate it from others and deem it US Suspect.
-
But when McGinley was a teen-ager, Michael became sick with AIDS and moved home to New Jersey.
Adjective
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The plasma process also produced very little smoke or tar, reducing harmful secondary pollutants typically associated with biomass conversion and making the technology a cleaner way to produce renewable solid fuel.
-
At the same time, its flowers attract beneficial predatory insects, such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps, that naturally hunt harmful garden pests.
Adjective
-
This fragmented model creates friction and quietly drains profitability through unbilled hours, margin erosion from poorly staffed projects and elevated turnover when top talent hits operational roadblocks.
-
For however poorly things are going — and the bad tone set by the starters has leaked into some defensive lapses and some pressing at the plate — the Padres got themselves into a really favorable position before this.
Adjective
-
Overflowing poor drainage areas in urban areas of northwest Hickory and in the Northlakes area of Caldwell County.
-
There was a lot of poor decision-making with this match, on and off the pitch.
Adjective
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If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.
-
Instead, Mike Maignan got a confidence boost, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue combined for France’s fourth, and the favourites look more ominous than ever.
Adverb
-
Atmos is already facing a lawsuit over the explosion from a resident who was severely burned.
-
Nearby Elephant Butte Lake, a draw for outdoorsy tourists, is so severely drought-depleted that sunbaked fish carcasses line its shores.
Adverb
-
And this year was no different as 30,419 fans showed up on Saturday night.
-
As Eric Suarez and Brandon Welty pulled their duo of airboats off to the side of an island in the Everglades, this spot looked no different from the rest of the canal.
Noun
-
The shipment includes emergency health kits for urgent medical care, including supplies for safe births, newborn care, disease prevention and treatment, according to the United Nations.
-
The rabies vaccine, if administered immediately after exposure, is nearly 100% successful at preventing the disease, according to the World Health Organization.
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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