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
Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Comprehensive Parental and Caregiver Support Approximately 20% of workers serve as caregivers for aging or ill friends and relatives, and a similar proportion of households have children with special support needs.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Of those patients, 12 recalled eating a Quarter Pounder burger before falling ill.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024
Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2024
To Gigi, the beneficiary, Pita was treated well, and, anyway, isn’t the American foster system a comparable social ill?
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 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
Nelson released four albums between 1988 and 2011 and was scheduled to supposed to hold her retirement and farewell concert last June, but became ill and the concert took place without her.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Comprehensive Parental and Caregiver Support Approximately 20% of workers serve as caregivers for aging or ill friends and relatives, and a similar proportion of households have children with special support needs.
—Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Adverb
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 90 people nationwide have fallen ill after consuming slivered onions, supplied by Taylor Farms, which were served in Quarter Pounder burger products from McDonald's.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Of those patients, 12 recalled eating a Quarter Pounder burger before falling ill.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
Fascist leaders often target minority groups and blame them for the country's ills, the War Department cautioned.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2024
To Gigi, the beneficiary, Pita was treated well, and, anyway, isn’t the American foster system a comparable social ill?
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 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 22 Nov. 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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