as in diseases
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
in the olden days people were always suffering from some unknown malady
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Recent Examples of maladies
Her friends would deal with maladies as diverse as pill addiction and demonic possession.
—
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
One of the oddest maladies of our current TV era has been a desensitization to Nicole Kidman.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
DeGrom a two-time Cy Young Award winner, also has had surgery on his ulnar nerve in his elbow and missed time due to forearm tightness, among other maladies.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
But those maladies have nothing against the ones presented in this list—six afflictions that many of us have come to know all too well.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Musgrove’s history of performing well and working through maladies bolsters the Padres’ confidence.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Yet after three straight seasons with identical point totals, 41 apiece, Strome had played in just over half the team’s games this year between injuries, illness and healthy scratches peppered into that mix of maladies.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
The maladies also come at a time in Cleveland’s schedule where some of its more notable matchups are coming up quite soon.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
As hotel values in 2025 rose in Southern California, a slump in Northern California showed a decline that suggests the market remains weighed down by a host of economic maladies, a new report shows.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
One of the oddest maladies of our current TV era has been a desensitization to Nicole Kidman.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
DeGrom a two-time Cy Young Award winner, also has had surgery on his ulnar nerve in his elbow and missed time due to forearm tightness, among other maladies.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
But those maladies have nothing against the ones presented in this list—six afflictions that many of us have come to know all too well.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Musgrove’s history of performing well and working through maladies bolsters the Padres’ confidence.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Yet after three straight seasons with identical point totals, 41 apiece, Strome had played in just over half the team’s games this year between injuries, illness and healthy scratches peppered into that mix of maladies.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
The maladies also come at a time in Cleveland’s schedule where some of its more notable matchups are coming up quite soon.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
As hotel values in 2025 rose in Southern California, a slump in Northern California showed a decline that suggests the market remains weighed down by a host of economic maladies, a new report shows.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maladies
Noun
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Fungal infections, leaf spot diseases, scale insects, and spider mites are among the most common culprits.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
15 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
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
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The rotation has been marvelous from the get-go despite its ailments.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Three cases were reported earlier this week, long after the typical growing season for the mushrooms behind the illnesses, leaving public health officials and mycologists puzzled about why the poisonings have been so widespread and what is causing the trend.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
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Further genetic sequencing is ongoing today to determine the strain causing the illnesses.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
Noun
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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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Maladies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maladies. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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