Some years ago, learning that one had tuberculosis amounted to hearing a sentence of death.
Source: tatoeba (24465)
Tuberculosis
/tjuːˌbɜː(ɹ)kjʊˈləʊsɪs/
Synonyms for "tuberculosis" (171 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (35)
Noun(2 words)
acute articular rheumatismaerogenic tuberculosisafrican lethargyaguealkali diseaseambulatory plagueamebiasisamebic dysenteryanthraxasiatic cholerabacillary dysenterybastard measlesblack deathblack feverblack plagueblackwater feverbreakbone feverbrucellosisbubonic plaguecachectic fever
Show 13 more words
cellulocutaneous plaguecerebral rheumatismcerebral tuberculosischagres feverchicken poxcholeracolliquationconsumptioncowpoxdandy feverdeer fly feverdefervescing plaguedengue
Strong matches (51)
dengue feverdiphtheriadisseminated tuberculosisdumdum feverdysenteryelephantiasisencephalitis lethargicaenteric feverepidemicepiphytoticepizooticerysipelasfamine feverfive-day feverfluframbesiagerman measlesglandular feverglandular plaguegrippe
Show 29 more words
hansenosishaverhill feverhemorrhagic plaguehepatitisherpesherpes simplexherpes zosterhistoplasmosishookwormhydrophobiainfantile paralysisinfectious mononucleosisinflammatory rheumatisminfluenzajail feverjungle rotkala azarkissing diseaselarval plaguelepraleprosyleptospirosisloa loaloaiasislockjawlupus vulgarismadnessmalariamalarial fever
Noun(2 words)
latent tbltbi
Related words (85)
marsh fevermeaslesmeningitismilzbrandmumpsmurrainornithosisosteomyelitispandemiapandemicparatyphoid feverparotitisparrot feverpertussispestpestholepestilencephthisisplagueplague spot
Show 63 more words
pneumoniapneumonic plaguepoliopoliomyelitispolyarthritis rheumatismponospremonitory plaguepsittacosispulmonary tuberculosisrabbit feverrabiesrat-bite feverrelapsing feverrheumatic feverrickettsialpoxringwormrubellarubeolascarlatinascarlet feverschistosomiasisscourgescrofulascrofulodermaseptic sore throatsepticemic plagueshinglessiderating plaguesleeping sicknesssleepy sicknesssmallpoxsnail feversplenic feverspotted feverstrep throatswamp fevertbtetanusthrushtineatrench fevertrench mouthtuberculosis cutistuberculosis luposatuberculous meningitistularemiatyphoidtyphoid fevertyphustyphus feverundulant fevervacciniavaricellavariolavenereal diseaseviral dysenterywhite plaguewhooping coughyawsyellow feveryellow jackzonazoster
Noun(2 words)
phthisist.b.
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: tb, acute articular rheumatism, aerogenic tuberculosis, african lethargy, ague.
- Sentence evidence is available for tuberculosis, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "tuberculosis".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "tuberculosis"
Keep "tuberculosis" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "tuberculosis" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "tuberculosis", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "tuberculosis" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesbacterial infectioninfectious disease
More specific
5 entriesasymptomatic infectiondormant infectionextrapulmonary tuberculosismiliary tuberculosispulmonary tuberculosis
Collocations
6 entriesactive tuberculosislatent tuberculosis infectionmultidrug resistant tuberculosispulmonary tuberculosistuberculosis treatmenttuberculosis vaccine
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
11 total sentences available.
These days few people suffer from tuberculosis.
Source: tatoeba (243747)
Tom died from tuberculosis.
Source: tatoeba (1677826)
Hunger kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
Source: tatoeba (2128990)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "tuberculosis"?
Closest matches include tb, acute articular rheumatism, aerogenic tuberculosis, african lethargy, ague.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "tuberculosis"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.