ill

Examples

• All

• If I'm ill... I should be seeing Dr. Jameson.

  Don't Look Now (1973)

• Three days in bed already, too ill and too weak to get up when he wanted to.

  Academic text (2008)

• My dad is ill at the moment.

• The second floor houses many critically ill patients.

  Roman Candle (2021)

• Leaving behind a heartbroken husband and a very ill little girl.

  Ordinary Angels (2024)

• Pregnant women are more at risk of becoming seriously ill if they catch a food- or waterborne infection.

  Academic text (2011)

• Their jobs, providing direct care to frail and ill elderly persons, are often described as stressful.

  Academic text (2012)

• Isolate yourself until we know you're not ill.

  Pearl (2022)

• She says she'll come to visit him, but then she gets ill and can't make it.

• My dad is ill at the moment and needs to see a doctor.

Synonyms

S

sick

vsill

∞ 1.0

Not well because of illness

covers that state more broadly including mental and physical problems

D

diseased

vsill

26 3.7

Having an illness or infection that makes it not healthy

includes poor health more generally even without clear medical signs

U

under the weather

vsill

• Informal

21 5.3

Feeling slightly ill and not your usual self

is a neutral health term not tied to idiom or casual tone

U

unwell

vsill

18 1.0

Feeling slightly sick or uncomfortable

expresses a broader or more serious state of poor health

A

ailing

vsill

3 5.6

Having poor health and often getting sick

is the general term for any poor health rather than long term weakness

P

poorly

vsill

2.8

Feeling ill or not well

is the broader neutral medical term for any reduced health

I

indisposed

vsill

6.9

Feeling slightly ill or unwell

focuses only on health problems, not on unwillingness to act

Antonyms

H

healthy

695 1.0

In good body and mind condition without sickness or injury

W

well

142 1.0

In good health after being ill or hurt

Idioms

I

ill at ease

6 5.5

Feeling uncomfortable or nervous around other people

Compounds

M

mentally ill

• Vulgar

77 3.4

Having a serious problem with thinking, feeling, or behaving because of a brain condition

I

ill will

19 5.3

A strong feeling of dislike or anger toward someone

I

ill health

7 3.0

Being sick or having a long-term problem with your body

I

ill repute

3 7.5

A condition where people think badly of someone

I

ill-treatment

• NSFW

3 6.4

Cruel treatment of a person or animal, often over a long time

H

house of ill repute

• NSFW

2 8.9

A place where people pay to have sex

I

ill humor

1 6.8

A bad mood when someone is angry or easily annoyed

I

ill luck

1 3.8

Bad things that happen to someone by chance

H

house of ill fame

• NSFW

1 9.9

A place where people pay for sex, often seen as wrong

I

ill fame

1 8.1

Being widely known for something bad

I

ill temper

1 4.6

A bad mood that makes someone easily angry

I

ill-breeding

• Offensive

1 9.8

Rude behavior that shows poor manners because someone was raised badly

L

louping ill

• UK

9.9

A serious sickness of sheep caused by a virus spread by ticks that affects their brain and nerves

I

ill nature

7.7

A habit of being angry and unpleasant to others

I

ill service

8.3

An act of help that does harm rather than good

I

ill turn

8.1

An action meant to help that causes harm or trouble

I

ill-usage

• NSFW

9.9

Cruel treatment of people or animals

W

woman of ill fame

• Offensive

9.8

A woman known for having a bad reputation because of her sexual life

W

woman of ill repute

• Offensive

9.0

A woman who people think badly of because of her sex life

How Sick

ill

632 1.0

unwell

18 1.0

well

142 1.0

healthy

695 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology