sickness

noun

sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs How to pronounce sickness (audio)
Synonyms of sicknessnext
1
a
: ill health : illness
b
: a disordered, weakened, or unsound condition
2
: a specific disease
3
: nausea, queasiness

Synonyms of sickness

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Examples of sickness in a Sentence

He died from an unknown sickness. she was plagued by sickness most of her adult life
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the hallway that night, Miriam had moved close to touch Birdie’s flushed cheek, damp and hot with the sickness. — Rachel Yoder, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026 Health officials urged that anyone experiencing symptoms seek medical care immediately, as the sickness can be treated with antibiotics when diagnosed early. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 30 July 2026 Other teams, including Remco Evenepoel’s Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, may be tempted to try a move on Alpe d’Huez tomorrow, in case of sickness — a move of such aggression that it would never usually be considered. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 23 July 2026 The true sickness is the conditions that so many infants endure through no fault of their own, which lead to these outcomes. — Ronald J. Allen, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sickness

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sickness was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing sickness

Rhymes for sickness

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Browse Nearby Words

sickly sweet
sickness
sickness benefit
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Cite this Entry

“Sickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sickness. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sickness

noun
sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs How to pronounce sickness (audio)
1
: ill health : illness
2
: a specific disease : malady
3
: nausea sense 1

Medical Definition

sickness

noun
sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs How to pronounce sickness (audio)
1
: the condition of being ill : ill health
2
: a specific disease
3
: nausea

More from Merriam-Webster on sickness

Nglish: Translation of sickness for Spanish Speakers

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