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illness

illness

693 1.1
A time when a person is sick and cannot do normal things
  • noun
  • /ˈɪl.nəs/
translation icon : enfermedad
  • The NHS tries to cure illness rather than maximize health.
  • mental illness
  • chronic illness
  • serious illness

I've gone through a lot of illness, but I fought it.

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Examples

  • Do you have any history of mental illness in your family?

  • The presence of chronic illness may cause patients to be more responsive to interventions.

    Academic text (2011)
  • So obviously health and illness was the main focus of this study.

  • Income might cause mental illness much later in life for the children.

  • A lot of it could be a mental illness too.

  • Have you had an illness recently?

  • Some patients want control over their illness and treatment, while others are happy to have a passive role.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The role of psychological distress in physical illness is more established for the general workforce.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Satin's rapid decline could signal a serious illness.

  • She was diagnosed with a serious illness that required extensive treatment.

Synonyms

disease
vsillness
2.3

An illness that harms the body or mind and causes symptoms

is broader, covering any condition that disrupts normal functioning
condition
vsillness
783 3.7

A health problem that affects a person, often long-term

is the general disruption of normal functioning, not only long term issues
disorder
vsillness
  • Specialized
449 4.3

A health condition in which the body or mind do not work normally

is the everyday label for such disturbed functioning rather than technical term
mental illness
vsillness
129 3.1

A health problem that affects how a person thinks, feels, or behaves and may need medical help

is the general term that includes both mental and physical conditions
sickness
vsillness
103 1.0

A time when your body is not healthy

covers both physical and mental conditions disrupting normal functioning
health problem
vsillness
82 1.4

A condition of the body or mind that makes someone unwell and may stop them from working

is the single condition concept rather than a broader category of problems
ailment
vsillness
63 3.4

A small illness that often lasts a long time

is not limited to minor issues and includes more serious conditions
affliction
vsillness
45 6.7

A condition that causes great pain or suffering, often from illness

focuses on the condition itself rather than the level of suffering it causes
mental disorder
vsillness
  • Specialized
20 3.3

A condition that causes problems with thinking, feeling, or behaving

is the neutral umbrella term that also covers physical conditions
malady
vsillness
15 7.9

An illness that affects the body or mind

is the common general term for that same condition
ill health
vsillness
7 3.0

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

names a specific condition that disrupts normal bodily or mental function
mental disease
vsillness
  • Specialized
5 4.1

A serious problem that affects a person's mind and feelings and may need medical help

is broader and can refer to less severe or nonpsychiatric conditions too

Antonyms

1.0

The condition of a person's body and mind, especially being free from illness or injury

52 3.2

Good physical and mental health that people try to keep

Compounds

129 3.1

A health problem that affects how a person thinks, feels, or behaves and may need medical help

A health problem that is very bad and may last a long time

A health problem that affects the lungs, nose, or throat and makes breathing difficult

catastrophic illness
  • Specialized
1 4.9

A very serious illness that needs long hospital care and costs a lot

A short time when a person is sick

1 4.5

A mental illness with times of very high energy followed by times of very low mood

Persian Gulf illness
  • Specialized
8.2

A sickness that affected many people who served in the 1991 Gulf War, causing tiredness, headaches, and memory problems

How Severe

terminal
45 7.1
disease
2.3
illness
693 1.1
sickness
103 1.0
ailment
63 3.4

Surface Forms

illness singular
illnesses plural

Morphology

illness = ill (transparent) = ill + ness

The word 'illness' is transparently derived from 'ill' with the suffix '-ness' to denote a state or condition.

Etymology

Illness comes from the simple word ill, which long ago meant 'bad' or 'sick', plus the ending -ness that shows a 'state' or condition. So illness literally means the 'state of being ill', which is why we use it for a condition that affects the body or mind.