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
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Recent Examples of ill
Dan Mangan, CNBC, 28 July 2025
Some of us on staff were reminded, for good or ill, of Terence Malick’s Tree of Life.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025
Robert Ross, Robb Report, 5 July 2025
To give praise which is not due might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Hannah Seo, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
Sly Stone fused joyful visions of the country with a deep understanding of its worst ills.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Adjective
Trump's lawyers cited Murdoch's advanced age to submit to questioning under oath as a chief argument in their motion to compel him to testify earlier than would be normal in such a lawsuit, suggesting that Murdoch will either be too ill or dead to testify by the time the case goes to trial.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 28 July 2025
Some of us on staff were reminded, for good or ill, of Terence Malick’s Tree of Life.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025
Adverb
Trouble will come from a rusty or ill-repaired example.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 5 July 2025
To give praise which is not due might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Noun
Zooming in on mitochondria might offer a reassuringly specific and seemingly scientific explanation of the many real ills of the U.S. population, but ultimately, Means and MAHA are only helping obscure the big picture.
—Hannah Seo, The Atlantic, 10 June 2025
Sly Stone fused joyful visions of the country with a deep understanding of its worst ills.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
-
Not every mosquito carries West Nile virus, and not everyone who contracts the virus will get sick.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
28 July 2025
-
Cena took the opportunity to chug water to avoid getting sick.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
26 July 2025
Adjective
-
That might help researchers discover which technology helps what kinds of people best and which makes no impact or is harmful to brain health.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
-
Pavi, like the many disabled characters in the Avatar universe that came before her, can serve as a reminder that inclusivity isn’t harmful to good storytelling but is a key part of it.—
Braedon Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
The researchers and their partners are also working to track local residents’ health and to measure how well or poorly interventions like masks and household air filters protected them.—
Maggie Astor,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Both the United States and the United Nations have stepped back from leadership roles, a reflection of how poorly interventions in Haiti have gone and also the wide range of issues in other parts of the world at the moment.—
Adam Taylor,
Washington Post,
7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
-
However, the quality of the product is sometimes, notably, poorer.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
4 Aug. 2025
-
In the dining room of The Brother Benno Center, a refuge for the area’s poor and homeless, more than 100 people gathered recently to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Rev. Charles Wright, who has been a spiritual guide there for four decades.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
If the sky turns ominous and thunder can be heard, find a secure place for shelter.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Things kick off on an ominous note as 11-year-old Polly (Ana Sophia Heger) continues to wait for her mom to pick her up at school long after her classmates and teachers have departed.—
Joe Leydon,
Variety,
1 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
My aunt, a teacher in Jacksonville and Grandmother to a toddler and preschooler, juggles it all while somehow always finding time to show up with a homemade dish, no matter the occasion or how busy of a week she’s had.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
31 July 2025
-
Every single dermatologist interviewed by Newsweek said that everyone—no matter their age or skin tone—should be applying a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.—
Katherine Fung,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
The major preventable drivers for liver cancer include Hepatitis B and C, alcohol and liver diseases associated with obesity and metabolic dysfunction.—
Omer Awan,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
-
The mosquitoes that spread the disease have developed immunity to some of the insecticides that have previously helped reduce the spread, Bier said in an interview.—
Luke Harold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Begun as an interrogation of evil, the bio climaxes in farce.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
29 July 2025
-
Many Israelis may not care or may see their country’s conduct as a necessary evil in a fundamentally just campaign against terrorist groups and the governments that support them.—
DANIEL BYMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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