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
Researchers have long known that fine particles are linked to short- and long-term health concerns like respiratory and heart disease, low birth weight, neurological diseases, and even early death.
—
Angela Haupt, TIME, 27 June 2024
The cause of death was Parkinson’s disease, according to Texas Tribune.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2024
Researchers know that the brain's waste-clearance system can be impaired by age, injuries and diseases that clog blood vessels in the brain.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 26 June 2024
The iron in multivitamins can result in hemochromatosis, which puts patients at risk for cardiovascular disease, liver failure and Alzheimer’s, among other problems.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for disease 
Angela Haupt, TIME, 27 June 2024
The cause of death was Parkinson’s disease, according to Texas Tribune.
—Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 27 June 2024
Researchers know that the brain's waste-clearance system can be impaired by age, injuries and diseases that clog blood vessels in the brain.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 26 June 2024
The iron in multivitamins can result in hemochromatosis, which puts patients at risk for cardiovascular disease, liver failure and Alzheimer’s, among other problems.
—Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for disease
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.
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Cite this Entry
“Disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disease. Accessed 4 Jul. 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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