illness

noun

ill·​ness ˈil-nəs How to pronounce illness (audio)
1
b
: an unhealthy condition of body or mind
2
obsolete

Examples of illness in a Sentence

Her body was not able to defend itself against illness. Hundreds of soldiers died from illness and hunger. He showed no signs of illness. Scientists have not yet found a cure for this illness. cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses She died at the age of 60 after a brief illness.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Her face, framed by blond, braided pigtails, showed no sign of illness. Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2025 Additionally, millions of adults and children are still feeling the effects of their illness and have been diagnosed with long COVID. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 11 Mar. 2025 All are broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat many different types of bacterial illness. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025 Often, communities of color, the elderly, and those with limited resources faced higher infection rates, more severe illness, and greater economic hardship. Bernadette Boden Albala, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for illness

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of illness was circa 1500

Cite this Entry

“Illness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illness. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

illness

noun
ill·​ness ˈil-nəs How to pronounce illness (audio)
1
: an unhealthy condition of body or mind
2

Medical Definition

illness

noun
ill·​ness ˈil-nəs How to pronounce illness (audio)
: an unhealthy condition of body or mind : sickness

More from Merriam-Webster on illness

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!