1
2
: a harmful development (as in a social institution)
sees the city's crime as a disease
3
obsolete
: trouble
Examples of disease in a Sentence
He suffers from a rare genetic disease.
a disease of the mind
Thousands die of heart disease each year.
They are working to stop the spread of disease in rural areas.
The article cites intolerance as one of the most dangerous of society's diseases.
He sees crime as a disease that too often plagues the poor and disadvantaged.
Recent Examples on the Web
Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder affecting the nervous system that worsens over time, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—
Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Damage is also caused by tobacco and poor diets, not exercising, and diseases like obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
—Alice Park, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
Lowers the Risk of Gallbladder Disease Research shows that fiber intake is directly associated with a person's risk of gallbladder disease.
—Kathi Valeii Published, Verywell Health, 11 Mar. 2025
As West Point residents were pottering about their errands, their lives were halted by a public health system that wanted to contain the disease.
—Edna Bonhomme, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disease
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025
Damage is also caused by tobacco and poor diets, not exercising, and diseases like obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
—Alice Park, TIME, 11 Mar. 2025
Lowers the Risk of Gallbladder Disease Research shows that fiber intake is directly associated with a person's risk of gallbladder disease.
—Kathi Valeii Published, Verywell Health, 11 Mar. 2025
As West Point residents were pottering about their errands, their lives were halted by a public health system that wanted to contain the disease.
—Edna Bonhomme, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disease
Cite this Entry
“Disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disease. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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Medical Definition
disease
noun
dis·ease
diz-ˈēz 
: an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions, is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors : sickness, illness
called also morbus
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