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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in poor
falling short of a standard
such ill behavior will not be tolerated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in no
certainly not
you can ill afford to miss another day of work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in evil
that which is morally unacceptable
idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of ill
Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
That patient, who is not ill, is being monitored at a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 13 May 2026
More than 140 passengers and 15 crew members fell ill during the trip, which ended Monday, the CDC said.
—Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
In his songs, the Virginia rapper renders societal ills in high definition.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
Szabo took over day-to-day operations at American Log Homes and Cabins in 2016, when her father became ill, according to the company’s website.
—Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026
That patient, who is not ill, is being monitored at a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Adverb
The defense network was ill-prepared for the hundreds of drones launched at the country, which both overwhelmed its few short-range defenses and forced it to counter in an uneconomic way.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 13 May 2026
More than 140 passengers and 15 crew members fell ill during the trip, which ended Monday, the CDC said.
—Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Noun
Her transgression is one of the worst things imaginable; in a way, what Emma is hiding stems from a societal ill that gets papered over every day.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
In his songs, the Virginia rapper renders societal ills in high definition.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
That night, both the President and his wife periodically fled upstairs to check on their most beloved son, the eleven-year-old Willie, sick with a fever that would kill him two weeks later.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
What this narrative neglects are all the ways treatment might cause terrible side effects, or the long period one spends being sick, and how one’s identity may have changed in the interim.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Prosecutors maintain the search was legal because it was conducted in conjunction with an arrest and officers were following Altoona police protocols that require them to check for dangerous items that could be harmful to them or the public.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
Santos is charged with distributing food with a harmful substance, according to court records obtained by the Telegram & Gazette, part of the USA TODAY Network.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
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.—
DJ Paoni,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
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.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
After wildfires hit Georgia in April 2026 fueled by a rain deficit, high winds and low humidity, — among other causes, per NASA — neighboring states got slammed with poor air quality alerts.—
Ryan Brennan
May 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
-
However his attitude on health care and taxes places Newsom at odds with advocates for poor Californians who would be affected and their allies in the Legislature, many of whom want a tax increase.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
But recent days have seen the ominous appearance of public gun kiosks, where civilians are being offered basic lessons in using weapons – a sign of how the hardening Iranian authorities are readying people for further conflict.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
18 May 2026
-
The idea of a managerial change in October if Liverpool stick with Slot through the off-season feels ominous, because a couple of poor early results will bring back the negativity currently engulfing the club and his position will become untenable.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
Adverb
-
Duren severely underperformed in the postseason after having a career year.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
And because harpies rely on large emergent trees for nesting and an extensive, continuous canopy for hunting, even partial deforestation will severely disrupt their ability to breed and forage.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Adverb
-
But no matter the prodding, Terminus never wanted the patrons to feel cheated, so the games, while tricky, were winnable, and the prizes reasonable and fair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Fox’s efforts to cater to a digitally savvy cohort to boost the fortunes of its news operations will no doubt be watched by other mainstream TV-news outlets.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported new hantavirus cases in Spain and France, drawing attention to the rare but potentially severe disease, which can cause serious respiratory complications in humans.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
People with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, or colitis may not tolerate high-fiber meals as well and sometimes require a lower-fiber approach.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
