Synonyms and antonyms of Words used to describe illnesses, diseases and medical conditions in British Thesaurus

acute (adjective)

an acute illness is one that becomes very bad very quickly

advanced (adjective)

medical an advanced illness is difficult or impossible to treat because it has had time to develop completely

asymptomatic (adjective)

if a disease or person is asymptomatic, they show no physical signs of a medical problem

autoimmune (adjective)

relating to conditions and diseases in which normal cells are attacked by someone’s immune system (=parts of the body that fight disease)

bariatric (adjective)

relating to the causes and treatment of obesity

benign (adjective)

medical a benign lump in your body or a benign disease is not cancer and will not kill you

catching (adjective)

an illness, mood, or idea that is catching spreads quickly to other people

chronic (adjective)

medical a chronic illness or chronic pain is serious and lasts for a long time. A serious illness or pain that lasts only for a short time is described as acute

clinical (adjective)

relating to an illness

communicable (adjective)

medical a communicable disease can be passed from one person or animal to another

communicable (adjective)

formal able to be communicated to someone else

congenital (adjective)

a congenital medical condition is one that a person has had since they were born

congenital (adjective)

if someone has a congenital fault, they have always had it

contagious (adjective)

a contagious disease spreads from one person to another through touch or through the air

crippling (adjective)

causing someone to be physically disabled, especially unable to walk

curable (adjective)

possible to cure

degenerative (adjective)

a degenerative disease is one that gradually gets worse

depressive (adjective)

relating to depression, or suffering from depression

disabling (adjective)

if a condition or injury is disabling, it affects your body or your brain and makes you unable to use it properly

epidemic (adjective)

happening a lot and affecting many people

febrile (adjective)

medical relating to a fever

first-degree (adjective)

medical a first-degree burn is the least serious type

focal (adjective)

medical a focal disease or infection is limited to one part of the body

fungal (adjective)

medical caused by a fungus

generalized (adjective)

medical affecting most of the body rather than just one area

inactive (adjective)

an inactive disease or other threat is present but not doing anything at this time

incurable (adjective)

not able to be cured

infantile (adjective)

medical affecting young children

infectious (adjective)

an infectious disease is one that can spread from one person to another

inflammatory (adjective)

causing inflammation in a part of your body

inoperable (adjective)

an inoperable medical condition cannot be cured or treated by an operation

invasive (adjective)

medical an invasive disease spreads within the body and is difficult to treat

life-threatening (adjective)

likely to cause someone to die

local (adjective)

medical affecting only a small area of your body

low-grade (adjective)

a low-grade medical condition is not very serious

malignant (adjective)

medical a malignant tumour consists of cancer cells that can spread in the body

mild (adjective)

a mild illness or injury is one that is not serious

morbid (adjective)

medical relating to or caused by disease

mortal (adjective)

serious enough to cause death

multiple (adjective)

affecting several parts of your body

nervous (adjective)

a nervous illness or medical condition is caused by worry, or by working too hard, so that you feel excited when you want to relax

neurodegenerative (adjective)

relating to conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease that cause someone’s nerves to be damaged

niggling (adjective)

a niggling injury is not very serious but is difficult to treat or cure

non-invasive (adjective)

a non-invasive illness does not spread to other parts of your body

non-specific (adjective)

not relating to or not caused by one particular thing

non-specific (adjective)

medical a non-specific illness or medical condition may have more than one cause

notifiable (adjective)

British if a disease is notifiable, new cases of it must be reported to a public health authority

operable (adjective)

an operable disease can be cured by a medical operation

opportunistic (adjective)

medical an opportunistic disease or infection is one that attacks people who are already ill and who have a very weak immune system

parasitic (adjective)

medical a parasitic disease is caused by parasites living inside your body

pathological (adjective)

caused by disease

perforated (adjective)

medical used about an organ or tube inside your body that has a small hole or cut in its surface

primary (adjective)

medical in the first stage of development

psychiatric (adjective)

involving mental illness

psychosomatic (adjective)

a psychosomatic illness is caused by a problem in your mind

quiescent (adjective)

very formal a quiescent disease or illness is not getting worse

refractory (adjective)

a refractory illness does not improve despite medical treatment

rheumatic (adjective)

relating to or affected by rheumatism

second-degree (adjective)

medical a second-degree burn is more serious than a first-degree burn but not as serious as a third-degree burn

self-induced (adjective)

a self-induced medical condition is one that you cause yourself

self-inflicted (adjective)

a self-inflicted injury, condition etc is one that you cause yourself

severe (adjective)

a severe pain, injury, or illness is serious and unpleasant

sporadic (adjective)

medical a sporadic disease appears in separate areas of a country or region with no clear connection between the cases

strangulated (adjective)

medical a strangulated part of your body does not have enough blood flowing to it

stubborn (adjective)

difficult to cure or remove

suspected (adjective)

a suspected injury is one that doctors think you have, but they are not sure yet

systemic (adjective)

medical affecting your whole body

terminal (adjective)

a terminal illness cannot be cured and will cause someone to die, usually slowly

terminal (adjective)

continuing to get worse until the end is reached

third-degree (adjective)

a third-degree burn is the most serious type

traumatic (adjective)

medical a traumatic injury causes serious damage to the body

treatable (adjective)

a treatable illness or medical condition can be cured by medical treatment

tubercular (adjective)

relating to or affected by tuberculosis

unresponsive (adjective)

an unresponsive illness does not improve when doctors treat it

untreated (adjective)

receiving no medical treatment

viral (adjective)

medical caused by or relating to a virus

virulent (adjective)

medical a virulent illness is very dangerous, and affects people very quickly

wasting (adjective)

a wasting disease makes you thin, weak, and tired

waterborne (adjective)

a waterborne disease is spread through water