: a disease of the human immune system that is characterized cytologically especially by reduction in the numbers of CD4-bearing helper T cells to 20 percent or less of normal thereby rendering the subject highly vulnerable to life-threatening conditions (such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) and to some (such as Kaposi's sarcoma) that become life-threatening and that is caused by infection with HIV commonly transmitted in infected blood especially during illicit intravenous drug use and in bodily secretions (such as semen) during sexual intercourse
Examples of AIDS in a Sentence
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In May 2003, a severe illness Dunn thought was Parkinson’s disease turned out to be HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus that attacks the immune system and can lead to AIDS.
—
Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Now Sweeney, 75, is breaking his silence on a decades-long feud with Chevy Chase after Chase proposed Sweeney appear in an SNL sketch mocking the AIDS epidemic.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
After being diagnosed with AIDS, Ashman died at the age of 40 in March 14, 1991 — before the release of Beauty and the Beast, and prior to the completion of Aladdin.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Winona [Ryder] gave me that rec to just understand the AIDS epidemic.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
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Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Dec. 2025
Now Sweeney, 75, is breaking his silence on a decades-long feud with Chevy Chase after Chase proposed Sweeney appear in an SNL sketch mocking the AIDS epidemic.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
After being diagnosed with AIDS, Ashman died at the age of 40 in March 14, 1991 — before the release of Beauty and the Beast, and prior to the completion of Aladdin.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Winona [Ryder] gave me that rec to just understand the AIDS epidemic.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for AIDS
Cite this Entry
“AIDS.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/AIDS. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
AIDS
noun
: a serious disease of the human immune system marked by destruction of a large proportion of the helper T cells in the body due to infection by the HIV virus commonly transmitted especially in blood and semen
Medical Definition
AIDS
noun
: a disease of the human immune system that is characterized cytologically especially by a reduction in the numbers of CD4-bearing helper T cells to 20 percent or less of normal thereby rendering the subject highly vulnerable to life-threatening conditions (as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) and to some that become life threatening (as Kaposi's sarcoma) and that is caused by infection with HIV commonly transmitted in infected blood especially during illicit intravenous drug use and in bodily secretions (as semen) during sexual intercourse
called also acquired immune deficiency syndrome, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
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