ill
word
/ˈɪɫ/
il
/ˈɪl/
il
Definition
If someone is ill, they are sick or not in good health. In more formal or literary English, it can also mean bad or harmful.
Usage & Nuances
Most often, 'ill' means physically sick and is a bit more formal than 'sick' in American English, though very common in British English. Common patterns: 'feel ill', 'become ill', 'seriously ill'. The meaning 'bad' appears in phrases like 'ill effects' or 'ill will' and is not the everyday use.
Spanish: enfermo - malo (formal/literario)Portuguese (BR): doente - mal (formal/literário)Portuguese (PT): doente - mal (formal/literário)Chinese (Simplified): 生病的 - 不好的（正式/文学）Chinese (Traditional): 生病的 - 不好的（正式／文學）Hindi: बीमार - बुरा (औपचारिक/साहित्यिक)Arabic: مريض - سيئ (فصيح/أدبي)Bengali: অসুস্থ - খারাপ (ক্ষতিকারক)Russian: больной - дурной (вредный)Japanese: 病気 - 悪い（害がある）Vietnamese: ốm - xấu (gây hại)Korean: 아픈 - 나쁜(해로운)Turkish: hasta - kötü (zararlı)Urdu: بیمار - برا (نقصان دہ)Indonesian: sakit - buruk (berbahaya)
Example Sentences
I feel ill today.
basic
Her father became ill last week.
basic
I don't mean him ill, but I don't trust him either.
natural
Too much sun can have ill effects on your skin.
basic
He called in ill, so he won't be at work today.
natural
She looked ill after the long bus ride.
natural