ill
ill — adjective
1. Experiencing a disease or medical condition that keeps your body from working no
Experiencing a disease or medical condition that keeps your body from working normally.
Tunde was too ill to go to school on Monday, so he stayed in bed.
too ill to [verb]
The old cat became ill after eating something from the rubbish bin.
Ada has been ill with the flu for nearly a week now.
ill with [illness]
Several passengers fell ill during the long bus ride through the mountains.
fall ill
Yumi visited the clinic after feeling ill for three days in a row.
- ill with
- fall ill
- be taken ill
- critically ill
- terminally ill
- mentally ill
Grammar Patterns
be ill
be ill with [illness]
fall ill
be taken ill
Usage Note
In modern English, 'ill' is usually placed after a linking verb ('be', 'feel', 'become') rather than directly before a noun. Saying 'an ill man' sounds old-fashioned; 'a sick man' is far more natural. One common exception is the fixed phrase 'ill health'.
Common Mistakes
2. Having a negative, damaging, or morally wrong character — used of effects, inten
Having a negative, damaging, or morally wrong character — used of effects, intentions, fortune, or reputation.
The factory closures had ill effects on the whole town's economy.
ill effects
Despite the heated debate, Faisal bore no ill will toward the new manager.
ill will
Christopher suffered ill health for many years after working in the coal mine.
ill health
The candidate's ill reputation made it hard for her to win the election.
- ill will
- ill effects
- ill health
- ill fortune
- ill repute
- ill omen
- bad
The everyday equivalent; less formal and far more versatile.
- harmful
Focuses on causing damage or injury specifically.
- unfavorable
Lighter in tone; describes conditions or outcomes that do not help.
- good
The general opposite in moral or qualitative contexts.
- beneficial
Specifically positive in effect or outcome.
Grammar Patterns
ill + noun
Usage Note
This sense is largely confined to a set of fixed noun phrases ('ill will', 'ill effects', 'ill health', 'ill fortune', 'ill repute'). In most other contexts, the everyday word 'bad' is preferred. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 always modifies a noun directly (attributive position), whereas sense 1 is used predicatively.
Common Mistakes
3. Producing a positive result even though the situation seems unfavorable — only u
Producing a positive result even though the situation seems unfavorable — only used in the traditional proverb about a wind that brings benefit to someone.
Dewi lost her job but found a better one — an ill wind indeed.
it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
The market crash hurt many investors, but some buyers picked up bargains. An ill wind indeed.
The cancelled flight meant Wei met his future wife at the train station — an ill wind.
When the bakery closed, Mei started her own catering business — an ill wind indeed.
Grammar Patterns
it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
Usage Note
This sense exists ONLY inside the fixed proverb 'it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good' (and shortened references to it). You cannot use 'ill' by itself to mean 'good' in any other context — that would confuse readers.
Common Mistakes
bad/ill feeling
idiomAnger or dislike between people, often after a disagreement.
After the argument, there was bad feeling between Maya and her brother.
The team's loss created ill feeling among the players.
ill at ease
idiomFeeling nervous, uncomfortable, or embarrassed in a situation.
Diego felt ill at ease during the formal dinner party.
Why does she look so ill at ease in the new office?
ill/bad feeling
idiomAnger or dislike between people, often after a disagreement.
The dispute caused ill feeling between the two neighbors.
Sara hoped to avoid any bad feeling at the family reunion.
Every bad situation brings some benefit to someone.
The storm canceled our trip, but it's an ill wind—we got to rest.
Losing his job was hard, but it's an ill wind; he started his own business.
ill — adverb
1. In a way that is not good, not enough, or not satisfactory — especially when som
In a way that is not good, not enough, or not satisfactory — especially when something has been done poorly or without proper preparation.
The hospital was ill prepared for the sudden flood of injured patients.
ill + past participle: ill prepared
Mark felt his long hours of work were ill rewarded by the committee.
The new classroom was ill suited to the needs of students using wheelchairs.
ill suited to [purpose]
Adina argued that the existing law was ill designed for the digital age.
- ill prepared
- ill equipped
- ill suited
- ill advised
- ill timed
- ill rewarded
- well
The general opposite in quality or manner.
Grammar Patterns
ill + past participle
Usage Note
In modern English, this adverb appears mainly in formal writing and in compound adjectives ('ill-equipped', 'ill-advised', 'ill-timed'). In everyday conversation, 'badly' or 'poorly' is far more common. The hyphen is used when the compound comes before a noun ('an ill-prepared speech') but not after a linking verb ('the speech was ill prepared').
Common Mistakes
2. To make negative remarks about a person, especially when the person being critic
To make negative remarks about a person, especially when the person being criticised is not present.
Tunde refused to speak ill of his former boss even after the unfair dismissal.
speak ill of [someone]
Grandma always said it was wrong to speak ill of the dead.
Gabriela never spoke ill of her sister during the divorce, though she was hurt.
The politician asked the journalists not to speak ill of his opponent.
- speak ill of
- never speak ill of
- speak no ill
- praise
To express warm approval or admiration of someone.
- speak well of
The direct opposite phrase.
Grammar Patterns
speak ill of [someone]
Usage Note
This sense is almost entirely restricted to the fixed phrase 'speak ill of'. The negative form 'not speak ill of' is equally common, often used as a polite principle ('never speak ill of the dead'). The related noun form 'ill' appears in 'speak no ill'.
Common Mistakes
3. To be a signal or sign that something bad will happen in the future.
To be a signal or sign that something bad will happen in the future.
The dark clouds gathering over the harbour boded ill for their sailing trip.
bode ill for [someone/something]
Empty shelves in the supermarket boded ill for the weeks after the storm.
The team's poor performance in training boded ill for the championship match.
The sudden silence from headquarters boded ill for the project's future.
- bode ill for
- bode ill
- bode well
The direct opposite: to be a good sign for the future.
Grammar Patterns
bode ill for [someone/something]
Usage Note
Always used with the verb 'bode' in the fixed expression 'bode ill (for ...)'. The opposite is 'bode well'. This expression is formal and appears more often in writing than in casual conversation.
Common Mistakes
4. To be unable to do something or lose something without suffering serious negativ
To be unable to do something or lose something without suffering serious negative effects, because of limited money, time, or other resources.
The small school could ill afford to lose another teacher before the summer term.
can ill afford to [verb]
Élise's family could ill afford the cost of the private hospital stay.
The start-up could ill afford any more delays from its overseas supplier.
Given the tight deadline, the team could ill afford to waste a single afternoon.
can ill afford to waste [resource]
- can ill afford to
- could ill afford
- can ill afford the loss of
- cannot afford
The everyday equivalent; 'cannot afford' is neutral while 'can ill afford' adds a formal, almost moral tone of consequence.
- can well afford
The direct opposite: to have plenty of resources without risk.
Grammar Patterns
can ill afford to [verb]
can ill afford [noun]
Usage Note
The adverb 'ill' is locked inside the fixed structure 'can/could ill afford (to do) something'. You cannot separate 'ill' from 'afford' with other words (❌ 'can afford ill'). The opposite expression is 'can well afford'.
Common Mistakes
ill — noun
1. Harm, damage, or something that causes suffering — usually in fixed phrases abou
Harm, damage, or something that causes suffering — usually in fixed phrases about intentions or consequences.
Mert meant no ill by his comment; he was simply trying to be honest.
mean no ill
Aunt Rosa wished her nephew no ill, despite their long disagreement.
Malicious gossip can do real ill to a person's standing in a small town.
do ill
Ishaan felt that the rumour mill did more ill than good to the community.
- do ill
- mean no ill
- wish someone ill
- speak no ill
- good
In phrases like 'do good' vs 'do ill'.
Grammar Patterns
do ill
mean [someone] no ill
wish [someone] ill
Usage Note
As a noun meaning 'harm', 'ill' is restricted to a small set of fixed phrases: 'do ill', 'mean (someone) no ill', 'wish (someone) ill', 'speak no ill'. In all other contexts, the word 'harm' is the natural choice. This noun sense is uncountable (no 'ills' when meaning harm).
Common Mistakes
2. A problem, difficulty, or bad condition — especially a social, economic, or poli
A problem, difficulty, or bad condition — especially a social, economic, or political one.
The new president promised to cure the ills of the country's healthcare system.
the ills of [system]
The report listed the many economic ills affecting rural farming communities.
The charity works to address the social ills of poverty and inequality.
social ills
In his speech, the principal spoke about the ills of bullying in schools.
- social ills
- economic ills
- the ills of
- cure the ills of
- benefit
A positive feature or advantage, especially in a social context.
Grammar Patterns
the ills of [something]
Usage Note
This sense is almost always used in the plural ('ills') to describe a collection of problems within a system, society, or institution. The singular 'ill' for 'a problem' is very rare outside of literary writing. Distinguish from noun sense 1: sense 1 ('harm') is uncountable and appears in personal-intention phrases ('wish you no ill'); sense 2 is countable and part of social commentary.
Common Mistakes
ill — prefix
1. Added to adjectives and past participles to mean 'in a bad, unsuitable, or inade
Added to adjectives and past participles to mean 'in a bad, unsuitable, or inadequate way' — forming compounds such as ill-advised, ill-equipped, and ill-timed.
Faisal's decision to invest his savings in the scheme was ill-advised.
ill-advised
The comedian's ill-timed joke during the funeral made everyone uncomfortable.
ill-timed
Tyler was ill-equipped for the mountain hike — he had no map or water.
ill-equipped
The couple inherited a fortune from a relative, but the money was ill-gotten.
The ill-fated expedition ended when the ship hit a reef near the coast.
ill-fated
- ill-advised
- ill-equipped
- ill-timed
- ill-fated
- ill-mannered
- ill-gotten
- ill-conceived
- ill-defined
Grammar Patterns
ill- + past participle
ill- + adjective
Usage Note
A productive prefix in formal and journalistic English. Always hyphenated before the base word. Common formations include: ill-advised, ill-equipped, ill-timed, ill-fated, ill-mannered, ill-gotten, ill-suited, ill-conceived, ill-defined, ill-humoured. The prefix is related to the formal adverb sense (ill prepared → ill-prepared) but has become a standard combining form used even without a corresponding adverbial phrase.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- illnessnounA2
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
All four words describe a state of poor health, but they differ in register, regional usage, and severity. 'Sick' is the most common word in American English and can refer to both general illness and the specific feeling of nausea ('I think I'm going to be sick'). 'Ill' is more common in British English and often implies a more serious or longer-lasting condition than 'sick', though the two overlap heavily. 'Unwell' is the most polite and least specific option — suitable when you do not want to give details ('She is feeling unwell'). 'Poorly' is an informal British word, used mainly in spoken language ('He looks poorly today'). In American English, 'poorly' is rare in this meaning. For temporary minor illness like a cold, American speakers strongly prefer 'sick'; British speakers might use either 'ill' or 'sick' depending on severity.
Common collocations
Nouns
- health
- fortune
- effects
- will
- feelings
- reputation
- omen
Adverbs
- seriously ill
- critically ill
- terminally ill
- mentally ill
- chronically ill
Phrases
- fall ill
- be taken ill
- speak ill of
- bode ill for
- can ill afford
- ill at ease
Prepositions
- ill with
- ill for
Etymology
The word 'ill' entered Middle English from Old Norse 'illr', meaning 'bad, evil, or difficult'. It gradually replaced the older English word 'evil' (from Old English 'yfel') in everyday use for describing poor health and bad conditions. While 'evil' retained its strong moral sense, 'ill' became the milder, more general word for anything unfavorable — from sickness to bad luck to improper behavior. The adverb and noun uses grew naturally from the same root.