sickness

noun

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

Examples of sickness in a Sentence

He died from an unknown sickness. she was plagued by sickness most of her adult life
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That sickness is caused by a virus typically spread by rats and mice. Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025 And how people can like this guy is— that's a sickness, actually. Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025 Any cat can develop a sickness or dental problems, but having a baseline can alleviate anxieties and empower you to work with your vet to make the best life choices for your cat. Molly Higgins, Wired News, 11 Apr. 2025 This year is already seeing an increase, not just in the number of animals sickened by the bloom but also in the intensity of their sickness when they’re found stranded on beaches. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sickness. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

sickness

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

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!