malaise

noun

Definition of malaisenext
1
as in illness
the condition of not being in good health Her symptoms included fatigue and general malaise.

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2
as in fear
a general feeling that things are bad or wrong They blame our modern malaise on overuse of technology.

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of malaise Beavis & Butthead Mike Judge created these two mush-mouthed slackers, who decades on remain among the cartoon characters most synonymous with ’90s malaise and slacker culture. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026 All three shows feature protagonists emblematic of downwardly mobile generational malaise, but any broader commentary takes a back seat to human relationships and, of course, jokes. — Alison Herman, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026 Their failure to receive one may be attributed to their having vague symptoms, such as a general feeling of malaise, weakness, or fluctuating muscle pain. — Jerome Groopman, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026 Yet the Angels ran the minor leagues out of a desperation wrought by their big-league malaise. — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for malaise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malaise
  1. illness
  2. fear
  3. disease
  4. concern
  5. disorder
  6. anxiety
  7. sickness
  8. worry
Noun
  • Authorities have said Ervebo could offer some protection against Bundibugyo, but whether the vaccine can actually prevent illness is still being studied.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Blanchard has said her mother abused her for years and forced her to fake serious illnesses.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of illness
Noun
  • Residents say Ethiopian federal forces retook Mekelle’s airport from Tigrayan fighters, but communications blackouts and fear of reprisals have left unclear who controls Tigray’s capital city.
    — Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The book offers creative ways to manage fear and negativity — like pretend-flushing your mistakes down the toilet — before, during and after a high-stakes task.
    — Lennon Sherburne, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia are difficult to study, in part because diagnosing the disease early in people is challenging.
    — Julie Moreno, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Younger demographics are being diagnosed with increasing cases of colon cancer, and people of color face disproportionately higher mortality rates from the disease.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of disease
Noun
  • Bird has concerns, particularly around the build-up of power around technological advancements, which push the film into surprising and exciting dystopian directions.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • By that point, family members of those on board had raised concerns about dwindling food supplies and low morale.
    — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of concern
Noun
  • The study also found that greater night-to-night sleep irregularity and more wakefulness during the night were associated with higher risks of several conditions, including anxiety and substance use disorders.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Argenx has racked up a series of wins in autoimmune disorders en route to becoming one of the world’s largest biotechs based on market cap.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of disorder
Noun
  • And three, sometimes four, of those many waking hours are spent in the car — bouncing from home to school to her second or third job and home again — with music at full blast to drown out the babble of anxiety, most of it financial.
    — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
  • This can help decrease anxiety and increase confidence by removing the pressure of one ideal performance and shifting focus to the present moment.
    — Lennon Sherburne, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxiety
Noun
  • Even the pancreas of a character’s unseen wife, the sickness in which AIG promises to double back and cure if only everyone keeps hurtling forward.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026
  • From sickness and ennui came the writing of an algorithm that would solve the underlying mathematics of the bomb.
    — Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of sickness
Noun
  • The euro sank to its lowest level against the dollar since May 2025 over Spain’s snap elections added to mounting fiscal and political worries across the region.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Such strong growth is what’s allowed stocks to rally near records despite a long list of worries and challenges.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of worry

Browse Nearby Words

malady
malaise
malapropos
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Cite this Entry

“Malaise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malaise. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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