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
Pollutants from greenhouse gasses reduce air quality, which increases individual risk for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
—
Simmone Shah, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
The non-profit organization Wombat Rescue suggested the baby could have a skin disease, urging Jones to reveal where the video was filmed.
—Becca Longmire, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Williams was diagnosed with Graves' disease in 2018, though concerns over her health arose in February 2024 when she was reportedly diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia.
—EW.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Gene died from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributing factor.
—Janelle Ash, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disease
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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Simmone Shah, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
The non-profit organization Wombat Rescue suggested the baby could have a skin disease, urging Jones to reveal where the video was filmed.
—Becca Longmire, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Williams was diagnosed with Graves' disease in 2018, though concerns over her health arose in February 2024 when she was reportedly diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia.
—EW.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Gene died from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributing factor.
—Janelle Ash, Fox News, 14 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 19 Apr. 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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