1
a
comparative also iller; superlative also illest
(1)
: not in good health
also
: nauseated
(2)
: not normal or sound
ill health
b
: causing suffering or distress
ill weather
2
: unfriendly, hostile
ill feeling
3
4
5
a
: not meeting an accepted standard
ill manners
b
archaic
: notably unskillful or inefficient
worse; worst
1
3
a
: so as to reflect unfavorably
spoke ill of the neighbors
b
: with displeasure or hostility
c
: in a harsh manner
4
: in a reprehensible manner
illustrated; illustration; illustrator
Illinois
Synonyms
Adjective
Adverb
Noun
Examples of ill in a Sentence
Adjective
That dog can eat almost anything with no ill effects.
They had been subjected to months of ill treatment.
Adverb
He is being ill served by his advisers.
Please don't think ill of me.
He was a good man who never spoke ill of anyone.
Noun
chicken pox and the other ills that were once a fixture of childhood
idealistic people who try to cure all of our society's ills
Recent Examples on the Web
Rick Barrett, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
Producer, composer and songwriter David Foster advocates for a higher purpose: to support the families of critically ill children and highlight the call for organ donors.
—Kathy A. McDonald, Variety, 12 Dec. 2024
Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 9 Dec. 2024
Ben had taken ill this year and was diagnosed with leukemia in March and underwent surgery in July, according to ESPN.
—Wayne Sterling, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 14 Dec. 2024
Investigators are also looking at Mangione's online posts about domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, law enforcement sources told NBC News.
Kaczynski, whose bombs killed three people, long decried the ills of modern American life and harbored other antiestablishment views.
—Tom Winter, NBC News, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ill 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
In 2023 and 2024, more than 100 people fell ill from salmonella linked to raw milk from Raw Farm, the same California company now at the center of raw milk recalls for bird flu.
—Rick Barrett, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
Producer, composer and songwriter David Foster advocates for a higher purpose: to support the families of critically ill children and highlight the call for organ donors.
—Kathy A. McDonald, Variety, 12 Dec. 2024
Adverb
A lot of people have drawn some parallels between the tiger character falling ill and the AIDS crisis.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 9 Dec. 2024
Ben had taken ill this year and was diagnosed with leukemia in March and underwent surgery in July, according to ESPN.
—Wayne Sterling, CNN, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
At some point, Mangione became focused on the ills of the healthcare industry — a theme that has resonated with many following the saga across the nation.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 14 Dec. 2024
Investigators are also looking at Mangione's online posts about domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, law enforcement sources told NBC News.
Kaczynski, whose bombs killed three people, long decried the ills of modern American life and harbored other antiestablishment views.
—Tom Winter, NBC News, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ill
Dictionary Entries Near ill
Cite this Entry
“Ill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ill. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ill
1 of 3 adjective1
: meant to do harm or evil
ill deeds
2
a
: causing suffering or distress
ill weather
b
: not normal or sound
ill health
c
: not being in good health
had been ill for some years
d
: affected by nausea
3
: not helpful to one : unlucky
an ill omen
4
: not right or proper
ill manners
5
: not kind or friendly
ill feeling
never said an ill word
ill
2 of 3 adverb
worse; worst
1
a
: with displeasure or anger
the remark was ill received
b
: in a harsh manner
treated me ill
2
: in a way that deserves blame
an ill-spent youth
ill-gotten gains
3
: hardly sense 3, scarcely
can ill afford it
ill
3 of 3 noun1
: the opposite of good : evil
2
a
: sickness sense 2
childhood ills
b
: trouble entry 2 sense 1a
the ills of society
Medical Definition
Geographical Definition
Ill
geographical name
river 129 miles (208 kilometers) long in northeastern France flowing into the Rhine River
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