chronic disease

noun

plural chronic diseases
: a disease (such as asthma, coronary heart disease, or diabetes) that continues or occurs again and again for a long time : a medical condition of prolonged duration
… childhood obesity that too often leads to chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.Akiba Solomon
Most oncologists are reluctant to use the word "cure," and tend to speak of cancer as a chronic disease. The goal of treatment is remission, a state in which the cancer can't be detected.Sallie Tisdale
More than 2,200 local doctors had voluntarily provided free care to uninsured patients, including surgery, chemotherapy and chronic disease management.The Dallas Morning News

Examples of chronic disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Over time, the group of volunteers also started focusing on treating people with chronic diseases, while working toward ensuring that people had access to specialty health care services disrupted by the storm, such as chemotherapy. Jess Craig, Vox, 17 Nov. 2024 Those are two entities that were very interested in this chronic disease messaging. Caitlin Owens, Axios, 3 Nov. 2024 The study, published October 31 in the journal Science, indicates that limiting sugar exposure in the 1,000 days post-conception (including the in-utero period and first two years of life), lowers the risk of chronic disease later on. Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 31 Oct. 2024 Kennedy has recently focused on chronic disease issues like obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, autoimmune conditions, cancer, and addiction. Andi Shae Napier, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chronic disease 

Word History

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chronic disease was in 1662

Dictionary Entries Near chronic disease

Cite this Entry

“Chronic disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chronic%20disease. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

chronic disease

noun
: a disease (such as asthma, coronary heart disease, or diabetes) that continues or occurs again and again for a long time : a medical condition of prolonged duration
Millions suffer from debilitating chronic disease caused by smoking. It is a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease, chronic bronchitis and emphysema …Phil Gunby, The Journal of the American Medical Association
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