Meaning & use

malaise

noun·Advanced

A general feeling of discomfort, illness, or unease whose exact cause is hard to identify.

See it in a sentence

A vague malaise kept her in bed, though no fever ever appeared.

Economic malaise spread through the town after the factory closed.

A note on using this word

Malaise often describes a diffuse, hard-to-pin-down feeling, whether physical, emotional, or social.

Words with a similar meaning

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