Here are some common English words you can use when talking about illness. We list the word, part of speech, definition, and an example sentence.
illness (noun): A condition of being unwell in the body or mind. – I hope I recover from this illness soon. | Peter is suffering from a terrible illness.
allergy (noun): An abnormal reaction of the body to a particular food, pollen, or substance. – I have an allergy to berries, and when I eat them, I get a rash.
antibiotics (noun): – Medicines that fight bacterial infections. – When I had a nasty infection last year, I had to take antibiotics.
bandage (noun): Material that is used to protect an injured part of the body. – After hurting my foot, I had to wear a bandage.
cold (noun): A common illness affecting the nose and throat with symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose. – I didn’t go to school because I had a bad cold.
concussion (noun): An injury to the head that stops the brain from functioning properly. – After hitting his head on the rock, Tom had a mild concussion.
cough (noun): A short sound made when trying to remove something from the throat. – I heard a cough from Tom’s bedroom.
cough (verb): Make a short sound when trying to remove something from the throat. – When I had the flu, I couldn’t stop coughing.
faint (verb): Lose consciousness for a short period of time. – Maria fainted because of the heat.
fever (noun): A condition in which one has an abnormally high body temperature, often accompanied by shivering, sweating, and a rapid heart beat. – I had a bad fever and couldn’t stop shivering.
flu (noun): An illness similar to a cold but more serious, with symptoms including head and body aches, fever, coughing, and stomach pain. – Sam had the flu and felt too ill to get out of bed.
hangover (noun): Illness which one experiences after consuming too much alcohol. – After drinking a bottle of tequila the night before, Nick had a terrible hangover.
headache (noun): Continuous pain that is felt in the head. – I couldn’t do any work because I had a bad headache.
medicine (noun): A substance used for treating pain or illness. – I was feeling ill, so I took some medicine.
painkillers (noun): Medication taken to relieve pain. – I had a bad headache, so I took some painkillers.
pharmacyUK drugstoreUS (noun): A place where one can buy medicine and cosmetics. – I went to the pharmacy to get some medicine for my cough.
plasterUK band-aidUS (noun): A sticky strip of material that is used for covering cuts and small wounds. – After I cut my finger, my mother put a plaster on it.
prescription (noun): Written directions from a doctor for a patient to obtain medication from a pharmacist. – The doctor gave me a prescription for some antibiotics for my throat infection.
rash (noun): An eruption of the skin due to an allergy. – After eating strawberries, I developed a rash on my skin.
sneeze (verb): Send air out of the nose in a sudden, explosive manner. – I had a bad cold and couldn’t stop sneezing.
sore throat (noun): Pain in the throat. – I had a sore throat and was unable to speak properly.
sprained ankle (noun): An injury caused by the tearing of ligaments around the ankle. – My sprained ankle was so painful that I found it hard to walk.
stomach ache (noun): Pain in the stomach. – After eating too much cake, Jim had a bad stomach ache.
sunburn (noun): A condition in which the skin is red and sore after spending time in the sun. – After spending the day at the beach, I had a bad sunburn.
toothache (noun): Pain felt in the tooth. – My toothache was so bad, that I was unable to eat my dinner.
vomit / throw up (verb): To eject the contents of one’s stomach through the mouth. – After drinking too much vodka, Ron threw up on the floor.