1
2
: a harmful development (as in a social institution)
sees the city's crime as a disease
3
obsolete
: trouble
Synonyms
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
Wildlife rehabilitators and other experts say bacterial and viral diseases that affect pigeons—and can spread quickly in dense urban populations—also threatened Flaco.
—
Lauren Oster, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Two years ago, the EU imposed requirements including additional refrigeration of incoming fruit from South Africa, the world’s biggest exporter of the produce after Spain, to combat incidences of Citrus Black Spot, a fungal disease that leaves dark spots on fruit.
—Antony Sguazzin, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024
Clinics in Appalachia began seeing miners in their 30s and 40s with advanced disease.
—Chris Hamby, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The singer-songwriter isn't the only public figure who has been candid about her struggles with the autoimmune disease.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
That’s why thoughtful scholars—including the philosopher Daniel Williams and the experimental psychologist Sacha Altay—encourage us to see misinformation more as a symptom than as a disease.
—Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
There is currently no treatment to slow or halt Parkinson’s disease.
—Matthew Farrer, Discover Magazine, 13 Apr. 2024
Vera has a similar treatment for the same disease, a weekly drug called atacicept, that is about a year ahead of Alpine’s, with Phase 3 data expected next year.
—Damian Garde, STAT, 12 Apr. 2024
In 2018, he was diagnosed with Ménière’s disease, an inner-ear affliction that leads to hearing loss and vertigo.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
Lauren Oster, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Two years ago, the EU imposed requirements including additional refrigeration of incoming fruit from South Africa, the world’s biggest exporter of the produce after Spain, to combat incidences of Citrus Black Spot, a fungal disease that leaves dark spots on fruit.
—Antony Sguazzin, Fortune Europe, 16 Apr. 2024
Clinics in Appalachia began seeing miners in their 30s and 40s with advanced disease.
—Chris Hamby, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
The singer-songwriter isn't the only public figure who has been candid about her struggles with the autoimmune disease.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
That’s why thoughtful scholars—including the philosopher Daniel Williams and the experimental psychologist Sacha Altay—encourage us to see misinformation more as a symptom than as a disease.
—Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
There is currently no treatment to slow or halt Parkinson’s disease.
—Matthew Farrer, Discover Magazine, 13 Apr. 2024
Vera has a similar treatment for the same disease, a weekly drug called atacicept, that is about a year ahead of Alpine’s, with Phase 3 data expected next year.
—Damian Garde, STAT, 12 Apr. 2024
In 2018, he was diagnosed with Ménière’s disease, an inner-ear affliction that leads to hearing loss and vertigo.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disease
Cite this Entry
“Disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disease. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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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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