as in illnesses
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
they caught a rare disease while they were traveling in Africa and were sick for weeks
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Recent Examples of diseases
The pair is part of a community of caregivers and their clients in Atlanta who experience the arts together as a way to manage the stress and impact of cognitive diseases.
—
Monique John, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Hair loss can be caused by genetics, hormones, age, or underlying medical conditions (like some autoimmune diseases).
—Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Additionally, diseases may be communicable (contagious) or noncommunicable; of the latter, the four major types identified by the World Health Organization are cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Doctors are desperate to undo the damage so that vaccine-preventable diseases remain in the past as much as possible.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
Overseeding improves lawn health, fills bare spots, and helps prevent pests and diseases.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 2 Apr. 2026
Supplements can’t claim to treat specific diseases or medical conditions.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Every Cure works to find new uses for existing drugs, with the goal of finding treatments for diseases that were previously untreatable.
—Brad Quick, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and heart failure — very expensive diseases to manage — cancer, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, kidney disease, liver disease, lower quality of life.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
Monique John, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
Hair loss can be caused by genetics, hormones, age, or underlying medical conditions (like some autoimmune diseases).
—Nicole Hernandez, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Additionally, diseases may be communicable (contagious) or noncommunicable; of the latter, the four major types identified by the World Health Organization are cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Doctors are desperate to undo the damage so that vaccine-preventable diseases remain in the past as much as possible.
—Erika Edwards, NBC news, 2 Apr. 2026
Overseeding improves lawn health, fills bare spots, and helps prevent pests and diseases.
—David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 2 Apr. 2026
Supplements can’t claim to treat specific diseases or medical conditions.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
Every Cure works to find new uses for existing drugs, with the goal of finding treatments for diseases that were previously untreatable.
—Brad Quick, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and heart failure — very expensive diseases to manage — cancer, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, kidney disease, liver disease, lower quality of life.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diseases
Noun
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Over half of the illnesses are in children under 5 years old.—
Kaan Ozcan,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
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Essayli said the individuals are accused of running fraudulent hospice care facilities that billed Medicare by using people without terminal illnesses as beneficiaries.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Matterhorn Fit treats ailments that affect the neck, back and pelvis, which include sciatica, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome, thoracic pain, cervical pain, sports hernia recovery and cervicogenic headache.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
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The growing exodus reflects the challenges Bass faces while trying to help some of the city’s neediest residents, many of whom struggle with mental health conditions, substance use issues or major physical ailments.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The symptoms of our darkest cultural sicknesses become visible.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
-
From the moment the kids set foot back at school in the fall, until some time around spring break, parents can expect sicknesses to take over their homes faster than the latest viral slang expression.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In his songs, the Virginia rapper renders societal ills in high definition.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
30 Mar. 2026
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The first New Mexico trial on the ills and dangers of social media platforms began in February after a nearly three-year probe by the state.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In some places, fish catches declined precipitously in medium depths, which Joye attributes to nutritionally barren conditions.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In a previous interview, Nichols said the union’s concerns center on pay, workload and job conditions for school administrators, including long hours and limited autonomy.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Speech-language pathologists work with people who have disorders involving speech, language and swallowing, sometimes from injuries, medical conditions or developmental delays.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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Even fewer conduct a second screening shortly after birth to catch disorders that may not appear during the initial test.—
Nicole Kruegel,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Others welcome the review, pointing to adverse reactions that have been reported among babies who got the shots, including fevers, seizures and even some deaths.—
March 25,
NPR,
25 Mar. 2026
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Following the diagnosis, Urso, 40, began treatment that has included extended hospital stays, fevers and rigorous chemotherapy sessions.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Diseases.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diseases. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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