as in illnesses
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant or animal's normal bodily functioning
a sickness that resulted in the death of millions of the nation's elm trees
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sicknesses
The symptoms of our darkest cultural sicknesses become visible.
—
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
From the moment the kids set foot back at school in the fall, until some time around spring break, parents can expect sicknesses to take over their homes faster than the latest viral slang expression.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 10 Jan. 2026
And among parents, the fear of illnesses like polio, measles and other sicknesses were always present.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
Pathogens in human poop can remain active for a long time – over a year in outdoor environments – meaning that waste left behind today can cause severe gastrointestinal disease and other sicknesses for future visitors.
—B. Derrick Taff, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2025
All their triumphs, all their sleepless nights, their loves and hates, their sicknesses, their schemes, their rises to power and their falls from it -- all gone.
—Paul Prather, Arkansas Online, 27 Feb. 2016
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
From the moment the kids set foot back at school in the fall, until some time around spring break, parents can expect sicknesses to take over their homes faster than the latest viral slang expression.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 10 Jan. 2026
And among parents, the fear of illnesses like polio, measles and other sicknesses were always present.
—Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
Pathogens in human poop can remain active for a long time – over a year in outdoor environments – meaning that waste left behind today can cause severe gastrointestinal disease and other sicknesses for future visitors.
—B. Derrick Taff, The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2025
All their triumphs, all their sleepless nights, their loves and hates, their sicknesses, their schemes, their rises to power and their falls from it -- all gone.
—Paul Prather, Arkansas Online, 27 Feb. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sicknesses
Noun
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Miyahara is the president and CEO of the San Diego Community Housing Corporation, and Morales-Roth is executive director of the Emilio Nares Foundation, a nonprofit that supports children facing cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Crawling the walls Orson Welles learned to draw from his mother, who informally homeschooled the budding artist during his childhood, which was marked by grave illnesses including malaria and diphtheria.—
Michelle Duncan,
Architectural Digest,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Repeat expansions have been shown in lots of neurological diseases.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
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Plants growing in crowded conditions with poor air circulation are an ideal breeding ground for fungal diseases to spread.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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More players, including goalkeeper CJ dos Santos, continue to work their way back from various ailments.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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A lot of issues came up in this week’s debate, but interestingly enough, the ailments affecting the entertainment industry and workers here in Southern California and throughout the state did not come up.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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And this one guy at this one firm can't solve all of his industry's ills.—
Sam Yellowhorse Kesler,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The condition can cause pain, infections and fevers.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
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In addition to fevers and continuous, watery diarrhea, rotavirus symptoms in babies and children can also include loss of appetite and dehydration, per the NFID.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sicknesses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sicknesses. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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