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Commonly Confused Words
Disease/Illness
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Disease vs. Illness
Disease
/dɪˈziːz/
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
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:
illness
sickness
ailment
disorder
condition
Antonyms:
health
wellness
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Illness
/ˈɪlnəs/
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
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:
sickness
disease
ailment
Antonyms:
health
wellness
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Ways to tell them apart:
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.
When to use disease:
When to use illness:
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