Disease-Illness | Commonly Confused Words
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Master confusing words with ease

Disease vs. Illness

Disease

/dɪˈziːz/
A condition that negatively affects the body or mind, making it unable to work normally

Examples:

His father died of heart disease.We preserve them from diseases.A terrible disease came to this country.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Illness

/ˈɪlnəs/
A state of poor health usually caused by disease or sickness

Examples:

Even illnesses respected Anna Scheele and kept out of her way.'Bodily illness is more easy to bear than mental.'A long illness, Miss Simmonds?'

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Disease is often used to describe a specific medical condition with identified symptoms or causes, while illness can be more general.
  • Disease can sometimes be chronic or ongoing, whereas illness might be used for temporary conditions.
  • Healthcare professionals might diagnose a disease, but someone feels illness subjectively.
  • Disease often refers to the presence of identifiable processes, while illness can be a personal experience of feeling unwell.
  • Remember, all diseases involve illness, but not all types of illness result from a disease.
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