illfare

I1L1L1F4A1R1E1

noun

Misfortune; detriment; harm; evilfare.

Opposite
Scrabble 10

Meanings

nounillfare (uncountable)
  1. archaicuncountableMisfortune; detriment; harm; evilfare.

    The environment is an extremely important, although not the only, foundation for our welfare or illfare.

    2006, Lennart Nordenfelt, Animal and Human Health and Welfare
    3 more examples

    According to a principle of weak benevolence, all except the deviant will, other things being equal, prefer the welfare of others to their illfare; according to a principle of strong benevolence, preferring the welfare of others to their illfare will guide conduct even when other things are not equal [...]

    1994, Mortimer Raymond Kadish, The Ophelia paradox

    The opposite of the condition of social welfare is social illfare. Social illfare exists when human needs are not met, when social problems are not effectively managed, and when there are very limited opportunities for improving life chances.

    2009, James Midgley, Michelle Livermore, The Handbook of Social Policy

    Without the media, public concern over the illfare of Finnish children would not have been so widely discussed or examined.

    2011, Hannele Forsberg, Teppo Kröger, Social Work and Child Welfare Politics

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite

Origin

From ill- + fare. Compare evilfare, welfare, etc. First attested in c. 1300.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

illfare. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illfare

MLA

“illfare.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illfare. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “illfare,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/illfare.

Source: illfare on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.