Collocations for "illness"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "illness" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2026
illness
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.n
- has [an untreatable, a terminal] illness
- suffering from [an untreatable] illness
- was unable to [diagnose, treat] the illness
- the illness can't be [treated]
- the illness is caused by
- an illness brought on by [stress, poor diet, lack of exercise]
- the illness affects mainly [babies, children, the elderly]
- the illness affects one in [10 million] people
- the illness causes
- [may, could] cause (serious) illness
- as a result of his illness
- [physical, mental, foodborne] illnesses
- has a chronic illness
- an occupational illness
- to prevent illness
- contracted a sudden illness
- forced to [retire, withdraw] because of illness
- taking time off from [work, school, college] due to an illness
- has always been [dogged, hampered, impeded] by illnesses
'illness' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
arrest
- attribute
- bloom
- borne
- cancellation
- contract
- cope
- corner
- crippled
- cure
- curtail
- deadly
- defeat
- defend
- delay
- detection
- disable
- disrupt
- disturb
- duration
- effectively
- embarrassing
- exposure
- fake
- gut
- heal
- infant
- injury
- low
- mental
- minor
- modern
- onset
- over
- overcome
- owing
- period
- plague
- postpone
- prescribe
- presence
- prevent
- progress
- recover
- recovery
- refer
- relapse
- remedy
- respond
- retire