Adjectives For Illness

Discover the most popular adjectives for describing illness, complete with example sentences to guide your usage.

Updated on March 16, 2024

Describing an illness with the right adjective not only conveys its gravity but also its nature. A 'mental' illness focuses on psychological aspects, while a 'serious' illness emphasizes the urgency and potential danger. The term 'chronic' describes illnesses with a long-lasting presence, affecting life over months or years. A 'severe' illness indicates an intense level of discomfort or danger. Moreover, distinguishing between 'physical' and 'mental' illnesses helps in understanding the affected domain of health. Lastly, understanding these nuances enables more empathetic and accurate conversations about health. Discover the full spectrum of adjectives used to describe illnesses and the unique stories they tell below.

mental	She was diagnosed with mental illness after her behavior became erratic and unpredictable.
serious	Due to his serious illness he was unable to attend the meeting.
chronic	Despite her chronic illness she was able to live a full and happy life.
severe	I was diagnosed with a severe illness
physical	Physical illness often manifests with fatigue, headaches, and muscle aches.
last	She died after a long last illness
acute	The patient was hospitalized with an acute illness
long	She died after a long illness
psychiatric	His psychiatric illness kept him from completing his education.
depressive	The patient was diagnosed with a depressive illness
terminal	The family is gathering to say their goodbyes to their loved one who is suffering from a terminal illness
fatal	The patient was diagnosed with a fatal illness and given only a few months to live.
sudden	Our plans to go hiking tomorrow were canceled due to his sudden illness
medical	The medical illness was so severe that it required immediate hospitalization.
febrile	The febrile illness had been ongoing for several days and was starting to take its toll on the patient.

present	The present illness began with an episode of acute bronchitis two weeks ago.
short	He succumbed to a short illness
dangerous	It was a dangerous illness but he pulled through with the help of his family and friends.
critical	He was recently diagnosed with a critical illness
final
affective	The patient has been diagnosed with an affective illness
systemic	The systemic illness prevented him from swimming in the lake.
threatening	The threatening illness had spread throughout the city, causing panic and fear.
bipolar	Bipolar illness also known as manic depression, is a serious mental illness that causes sudden shifts in mood.
prolonged	The prolonged illness had taken a severe toll on his health.
recent	He was absent from school due to a recent illness
emotional	The emotional illness made it difficult for her to function in everyday life.
related	She was diagnosed with a rare related illness a few months later.
psychosomatic	Stress can manifest as a psychosomatic illness such as a headache or stomach ache.
brief	Upon his return from vacation, Carl experienced a brief illness after eating raw oysters.

like	She feels ill, like illness had possessed her whole body.
respiratory	My doctor said I have a respiratory illness
clinical	The clinical illness has many symptoms.
lingering	Despite the lingering illness she refused to let it get her down.
term	The long-term illness had taken a heavy toll on them.
mild	The child was home from school with a mild illness
psychotic	The psychotic illness was characterized by hallucinations and delusions.
minor	John took a day off from work because of a minor illness
protracted	The patient's protracted illness left them weak and vulnerable.
painful	His painful illness prevented him from enjoying life.
grave	The grave illness took a toll on his body and mind.
mortal	The mortal illness ravaged his body, leaving him weak and frail.
organic	The patient presented with an organic illness that required immediate medical attention.
underlying	She was told that her underlying illness made her more susceptible to complications from the virus.
intercurrent	The patient's hospitalization was complicated by an intercurrent illness

debilitating	The debilitating illness left him unable to work.
catastrophic	The patient was diagnosed with a catastrophic illness and his family was devastated by the news.
dementing	Her mother's dementia was a cruel and dementing illness that took away her memory and her dignity.
schizophrenic	He developed schizophrenic illness last year.
mysterious	The patient was suffering from a mysterious illness that baffled doctors.
neurotic	Her neurotic illness was causing her a lot of distress.
psychological	The patient was diagnosed with a severe psychological illness
incurable
infectious	The infectious illness spread quickly through the school, causing many students to become ill.
nervous	The doctor said that I had a nervous illness
terrible	He had a terrible illness
progressive	The patient's progressive illness made it difficult for them to live independently.
temporary	During his temporary illness he delegated his duties to his assistant.
gastrointestinal	The gastrointestinal illness spread quickly through the nursing home.
manic	After his manic illness he had difficulty concentrating and was easily distracted.

maternal	The maternal illness had a lasting effect on her child's development.
borne	The borne illness had spread throughout the village.
occupational	The worker developed an occupational illness as a result of exposure to hazardous chemicals.
recurrent	Recurrent illness has been a major problem for the population.
parental	John took time off work to help with parental illness
neurological	The elderly patient was afflicted with a severe neurological illness
somatic	I'm not sure if my somatic illness is related to my mental health.
lengthy	Her lengthy illness kept her from enjoying life to the fullest.
continued	His continued illness unfortunately made it impossible for him to complete the job.
concurrent	The patient had a concurrent illness of pneumonia.

Click on a letter to browse words starting with that letter