ills

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "ills" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a noun that can be used to refer to an affliction, illness, trouble, or misfortune: "The ills of poverty and malnutrition have been the cause of much suffering in developing nations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's massive and it's ugly,' he says with a big grin, too smart, too damned relaxed to be drawn into a harangue about the ills of the movie industry.

The Guardian - Film

This is a common debating point from fossil fuel advocates – that poverty stricken countries need coal, oil and gas to become wealthy (as if coal, oil and gas have only just become available to alleviate the developing world's ills).

The Guardian

They are both going bankrupt indisputably, he says, and rabvbits on about the ills of Obamacare.

The Guardian

Nigel Farage elicited outrage by blaming foreigners for seemingly all Britain's social ills.

The Guardian - Opinion

As for La Haine, it's ironic that a film once held up as the mirror of all French social ills now seems to be, in retrospect, a document from a golden age.

The Guardian - Film

Caborn is, then, attempting to marry high European politics with the nitty-gritty of addressing football's ills.

The Guardian - Sport

Blaming sins of the past for the ills of the present, some local reporters have noted, is a way of life at Schalke.

The Guardian - Sport

Ed and old Hampstead – stuck with "a deterministic, quasi-Marxist analysis of our present ills' – will never "get it".

The Guardian

Complaints have been lodged with a human rights watchdog after Zuma blamed South Africa's ills on the country's first white settler, Jan van Riebeeck, a Dutch administrator who opened the way for European colonisation.

The Guardian

He says: "We don't think our charity is going to solve the ills of every problem Ghana is facing.

The Guardian

While it may be convenient to think that hip-hop, Rihanna or Miley Cyrus are the cause of society's ills, this creates a false sense of security.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "ills" to denote significant and often persistent problems, rather than minor inconveniences.

Common error

Avoid using "ills" in casual conversation or informal writing. Opt for more common terms like "problems" or "issues" in these situations to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

Ills functions primarily as a plural noun. According to Ludwig, it refers to troubles or misfortunes. The word is used to describe negative conditions, societal problems, or physical ailments.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Formal & Business

26%

Science

26%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "ills" functions as a plural noun denoting problems, ailments, or misfortunes. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is grammatically correct, and according to example sentences, it appears most frequently in news and media, as well as formal and business contexts. It is important to note that "ills" should be used when denoting significant problems; for casual conversation, less formal alternatives may be more appropriate. Overall, "ills" is a versatile term to describe a range of negative conditions in formal and semi-formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ailments

Focuses more specifically on medical conditions or diseases.

afflictions

Emphasizes suffering and hardship caused by the problem.

problems

A more general term for difficulties or challenges.

drawbacks

Highlights the negative aspects or disadvantages of something.

disadvantages

Similar to 'drawbacks' but can be more formal.

shortcomings

Focuses on the flaws or imperfections of something.

deficiencies

Refers to a lack or absence of something necessary or desirable.

negative effects

Describes the adverse consequences of a particular situation or action.

adverse conditions

Emphasizes the unfavorable or challenging circumstances.

troubles

A more informal way of referring to problems or difficulties.

FAQs

How to use "ills" in a sentence?

The word "ills" is a plural noun often used to describe problems or negative aspects of something. For example, "The government is trying to address the social "ills" of poverty and unemployment."

What can I say instead of "ills"?

You can use alternatives like "ailments", "afflictions", or "problems" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "ills" or "illses"?

"Ills" is the correct plural form of "ill". "Illses" is not a standard English word.

What's the difference between "ills" and "ailments"?

"Ills" is a more general term for problems or negative conditions, while "ailments" specifically refers to physical or medical conditions.