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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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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ill
Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
McDonald's has resumed sales of its famed Quarter Pounder burgers in all of its US restaurants after an E. coli outbreak left at least one person dead and dozens of others ill.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week Uk, theweek, 28 Oct. 2024
Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024
Outbreaks indicate people have fallen ill, while recalls happen because of the detection of potential contamination.
—John Towfighi, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024
Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Unfortunately, history reveals that there are few panaceas for the ills resulting from polarization.
—Blake D. Morant, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ill 
Adjective
Advertisement Most people reported eating a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder prior to becoming ill, and the Food and Drug Administration focused its investigation on the burger’s beef patties and slivered onions, according to the CDC.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
McDonald's has resumed sales of its famed Quarter Pounder burgers in all of its US restaurants after an E. coli outbreak left at least one person dead and dozens of others ill.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week Uk, theweek, 28 Oct. 2024
Adverb
Of those patients, 12 recalled eating a Quarter Pounder burger before falling ill.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024
Outbreaks indicate people have fallen ill, while recalls happen because of the detection of potential contamination.
—John Towfighi, CNN, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
To Gigi, the beneficiary, Pita was treated well, and, anyway, isn’t the American foster system a comparable social ill?
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Unfortunately, history reveals that there are few panaceas for the ills resulting from polarization.
—Blake D. Morant, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ill
Adjective
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The vaccine doesn’t prevent 100% of infections, but those who are vaccinated and still get sick typically have milder illness, according to the CDC.Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
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Americans don't appear to be getting sick with respiratory illnesses just yet, according to federal health data.Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Just be sure never to mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide, which can cause a harmful toxic gas if inhaled.Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 23 Nov. 2024
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Cleaning is a necessary part of life, an essential task that keeps us (and our families) safe from harmful germs and bacteria.Alyssa Shaffer, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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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
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Story will be a free agent and at this stage why would an accomplished player stay with the poorly run Rockies?BostonGlobe.com, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Mar. 2021
Adjective
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Exposure to high concentrations can cause people to lose consciousness and can lead to long-term effects such as headaches, poor attention span, poor memory and poor motor function, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
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More than 40% of pregnant people were exposed to extreme heat, and nearly three-quarters lived in areas with poor air quality, the report found.Erika Edwards, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The early returns were ominous, and prospects did not improve from there.Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024
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The brief visual featured a snippet of the track — a few ominous piano notes with some percussion.Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Adverb
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Their loving glances and growing intimacy show a couple committed to choosing each other, no matter what lies ahead.Miguel Santiago, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
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Columbia’s legacy of quality outdoor gear lives on these Fairbanks boots, and the impressive weather resistance guarantees toasty toes no matter the adventure.Matthew Medendorp, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But though ruthlessly efficient at killing off some frog species, the fungus is highly vulnerable to heat: Temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (about 85 degrees Fahrenheit) slow disease progression.Martin J. Kernan, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2024
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The agency’s $48 billion budget funds medical research on cancers, vaccines and other diseases through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation.Aleccia Washington, Twin Cities, 15 Nov. 2024
Noun
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As an examination of evil, The Penguin knocked it out of the park.Erik Kain, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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After a young vlogger dies violently during his quest to track down the game and disprove the legend, his sister must find a way to stop the evil that now stalks her and her friends.Jamie Lang, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near ill
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ill. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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