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
Potatoes are highly susceptible to pests like the Colorado potato beetle and diseases like late blight that caused the Irish potato famine.
—
Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 23 May 2026
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a stem cell transplant can treat — and sometimes cure — certain blood disorders, cancers and autoimmune diseases by replacing unhealthy stem cells with healthy ones, either from the patient's own bone marrow or donated stem cells from another person.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
Leaving wet grass clippings on your lawn or sprinkling them over garden beds can create a breeding ground for fungal diseases and block airflow, creating a layer of humidity, says Handley.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 May 2026
There are at least six actions the White House could immediately take to limit the damage from both diseases.
—Stephanie Psaki, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
To some, this term may imply that these diseases are rare accidents.
—Neil Vora, Time, 22 May 2026
The work covers vaccine and drug discovery for diseases including polio, HPV, and eclampsia.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
As warmer weather brings more time outdoors, the Kane County Health Department is reminding residents to protect themselves against mosquitoes and ticks, which can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
August is when the season begins to ebb, with fewer nymphs around and eggs hatching larvae that are largely free of diseases.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 23 May 2026
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a stem cell transplant can treat — and sometimes cure — certain blood disorders, cancers and autoimmune diseases by replacing unhealthy stem cells with healthy ones, either from the patient's own bone marrow or donated stem cells from another person.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
Leaving wet grass clippings on your lawn or sprinkling them over garden beds can create a breeding ground for fungal diseases and block airflow, creating a layer of humidity, says Handley.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 May 2026
There are at least six actions the White House could immediately take to limit the damage from both diseases.
—Stephanie Psaki, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026
To some, this term may imply that these diseases are rare accidents.
—Neil Vora, Time, 22 May 2026
The work covers vaccine and drug discovery for diseases including polio, HPV, and eclampsia.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
As warmer weather brings more time outdoors, the Kane County Health Department is reminding residents to protect themselves against mosquitoes and ticks, which can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and Lyme disease.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2026
August is when the season begins to ebb, with fewer nymphs around and eggs hatching larvae that are largely free of diseases.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diseases
Noun
-
Sullivan battled multiple illnesses while her body struggled to protect itself.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
-
Nurse practitioners diagnose illnesses, develop treatment plans, prescribe medications and help patients manage both short-term and chronic health conditions.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Indicators can be so subtle and nonspecific that doctors tend to misattribute them to other, more common, ailments—which can delay diagnosis, sometimes for years.—
Nami Mun,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
-
The rotation has been marvelous from the get-go despite its ailments.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Olena started with the children, the most vulnerable refugees as well as the most likely vectors of new sicknesses in the theater.—
James Verini,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
-
The most sicknesses were reported in Michigan.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Chambers grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts, which has become something of a poster-child of the ills of deindustrialization.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
19 May 2026
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The expectations, the hope is so high for that prescription to be the salve for their ills.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Though conditions are more acute in Myanmar due to the civil war, experts warn the chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz could also dent rice production across the region – with potentially huge shocks for food security.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
16 May 2026
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Fire agencies across the North Bay are preparing for elevated wildfire danger this weekend as forecasters warn of strong winds and low humidity - conditions that often signal the start of fire season in Sonoma, Napa, and Marin counties.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Noun
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Both short and long sleep were associated with lung conditions including COPD and asthma, as well as digestive disorders such as acid reflux and gastritis.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
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Both short and long sleep were tied to lung conditions including COPD and asthma, as well as digestive disorders.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
19 May 2026
Noun
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Ebola is tricky to clinically diagnose because symptoms at early stage of the disease are similar to other infectious diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, shigellosis, meningitis and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
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At first, hantavirus can feel like the flu, with patients suffering from fatigue, fevers, chills and aches.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Diseases.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diseases. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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