fall ill

USAGE SUMMARY

"fall ill" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It generally means to become ill suddenly. Example sentence: "John was so surprised when he suddenly fell ill yesterday."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

In the future, more of us will fall ill, but the illnesses will affect us less.

Independent

Breadwinners fall ill and stop earning.

The Economist

But people continued to fall ill.

The Economist

What if they fall ill after Brexit?

The Guardian

I vowed to fall ill every vacation.

The New York Times - Travel

But what if they fall ill?

The Guardian - Opinion

"We're just trying to not fall ill while we're here".

The New Yorker

Many of those who do not fall ill flee.

The Economist

If they fall ill, they will be treated.

The Economist

The standing body will fall down, fall ill.

The New Yorker

And girls are more likely to fall ill than boys.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "fall ill" when describing a sudden onset of illness, especially in formal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "fall ill" in the past perfect tense when the simple past tense is more appropriate. For example, instead of "He had fallen ill before the trip", use "He fell ill before the trip".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "fall ill" is as an intransitive verb phrase indicating the action of becoming sick. Ludwig examples show its use in describing when and why individuals or groups "fall ill".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

37%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fall ill" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that means to become sick. As shown in Ludwig, it appears most often in news, scientific, and business contexts. This makes it a versatile choice for both formal and neutral communication. While alternatives like "get sick" or "become sick" exist, "fall ill" maintains a level of formality suitable for professional writing. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides further examples of its usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Become sick

Uses a more general term for illness.

Get sick

Employs a more casual and common way to express illness.

Contract an illness

Focuses on acquiring a specific disease.

Be taken ill

Uses a passive construction to describe the onset of illness.

Succumb to illness

Suggests a yielding to the effects of a disease.

Be afflicted with

Highlights the suffering caused by a disease.

Develop a disease

Focuses on the gradual onset of a medical condition.

Suffer from a condition

Indicates a prolonged experience of illness.

Come down with something

Uses an informal expression to describe catching a minor illness.

Be laid up with

Suggests being confined due to illness.

FAQs

What does it mean to "fall ill"?

To "fall ill" means to become sick or unwell, often suddenly or unexpectedly. It implies the onset of an illness.

How do I use "fall ill" in a sentence?

You can use "fall ill" to describe someone becoming sick. For example: "Many people "fall ill during" the winter months because of the flu."

What can I say instead of "fall ill"?

You can use alternatives like "become sick", "get sick", or "contract an illness" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "fall ill" or "get sick"?

"Fall ill" is generally considered more formal than "get sick". The best choice depends on the context; use "fall ill" in formal writing and "get sick" in casual conversation.