Disease Collocations: Essential Medical Vocabulary for English Learners

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Mastering collocations with disease proves crucial for healthcare professionals, medical students, and English learners pursuing careers in medicine. These carefully curated tables present over 50 essential phrases that appear frequently in medical contexts, IELTS examinations, and professional healthcare communication. Each collocation includes phonetic pronunciation and practical examples, enabling learners to communicate precisely about health conditions, medical procedures, and disease management across various professional settings.

Disease Collocations: Essential Medical Vocabulary for English Learners

I. What is Disease?
II. Disease Collocations: Comprehensive Reference Tables
III. Exercises on collocations with Disease
1. 1. Exercise: Fill in the blank with the appropriate word
2. 2. Answer

I. What is Disease?

In English, Disease is pronounced as /dɪˈziːz/ and functions as a noun, meaning: (an) illness of people, animals, plants, etc., caused by infection or a failure of health rather than by an accident; a condition of a person, animal, or plant in which its body or structure is harmed because an organ or part is unable to work as it usually does. For example:

The first symptom of the disease is a very high temperature.
They reported a sudden outbreak of the disease in the south of the country.

II. Disease Collocations: Comprehensive Reference Tables

Here is a list of the most common collocations with Disease, please take a look!

Compilation of the 20 most common collocations with Disease

1. Disease Types and Classifications

No.	Collocations with Disease	Example
1	Advanced disease /ədˈvænst dɪˈziz/	The patient's cancer had progressed to an advanced disease stage.
2	Age-related disease /eɪdʒ-rɪˈleɪtɪd dɪˈziz/	Arthritis is a common age-related disease among older adults.
3	Airway disease /ˈɛərweɪ dɪˈziz/	Asthma is a chronic airway disease characterized by difficulty breathing.
4	Allergic disease /əˈlɜːdʒɪk dɪˈziz/	Hay fever is an allergic disease triggered by pollen and other allergens.
5	Autoimmune disease /ˌɔːtoʊɪˈmjuːn dɪˈziz/	Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks its own joints.
6	Bone disease /boʊn dɪˈziz/	Osteoporosis is a bone disease that weakens bones and increases fracture risk.
7	Bowel disease /ˈbaʊəl dɪˈziz/	Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are examples of inflammatory bowel diseases.
8	Brain disease /breɪn dɪˈziz/	Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease affecting memory and cognitive function.
9	Cardiac disease /ˈkɑːrdiæk dɪˈziz/	High blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiac disease.
10	Cardiovascular disease /ˌkɑːrdioʊˈvæskjʊlər dɪˈziz/	Heart attack is a common type of cardiovascular disease.
11	Chronic disease /ˈkrɒnɪk dɪˈziz/	Diabetes is a chronic disease that requires lifelong management.
12	Contagious disease /kənˈteɪdʒəs dɪˈziz/	Measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread rapidly.
13	Degenerative disease /dɪˈdʒenərətɪv dɪˈziz/	Multiple sclerosis is a degenerative disease that affects the nervous system.
14	Genetic disease /dʒəˈnetɪk dɪˈziz/	Huntington's disease is a genetic disease passed down through families.
15	Infectious disease /ɪnˈfekʃəs dɪˈziz/	Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs.

2. Disease Severity and Characteristics

No.	Collocations with Disease	Example
16	Deadly disease /ˈdɛdli dɪˈziz/	Ebola is a deadly disease with a high mortality rate.
17	Debilitating disease /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪtɪŋ dɪˈziz/	Fibromyalgia is a debilitating disease that causes widespread pain.
18	Fatal disease /ˈfeɪtəl dɪˈziz/	Rabies is almost always a fatal disease without prompt treatment.
19	Incurable disease /ɪnˈkjʊrəbl̩ dɪˈziz/	Currently, ALS remains an incurable disease affecting motor neurons.
20	Mild disease /maɪld dɪˈziz/	Most children experience chickenpox as a mild disease with few complications.
21	Rare disease /rɛr dɪˈziz/	Hemophilia is considered a rare disease affecting blood clotting.
22	Serious disease /ˈsɪriəs dɪˈziz/	Cancer is a serious disease that requires immediate medical attention.
23	Terminal disease /ˈtɜːrmɪnəl dɪˈziz/	Palliative care helps patients cope with terminal disease symptoms.
24	Treatable disease /ˈtriːtəbl̩ dɪˈziz/	Hypertension is a treatable disease when caught early.
25	Widespread disease /ˈwaɪdspred dɪˈziz/	Malaria remains a widespread disease in tropical regions.

3. Disease Actions and Management

No.	Collocations with Disease	Example
26	Battle the disease /ˈbætəl ðə dɪˈziz/	Anna's determined to battle the disease with all her strength.
27	Beat the disease /biːt ðə dɪˈziz/	With proper treatment, many people can beat the disease and live healthy lives.
28	Carry disease /ˈkæri dɪˈziz/	Mosquitoes can carry disease and spread it to humans through their bites.
29	Catch the disease /kætʃ ðə dɪˈziz/	Good hygiene practices reduce the risk of catching the disease.
30	Cause disease /kɔːz dɪˈziz/	Poor sanitation and hygiene can cause disease to spread rapidly.
31	Combat disease /ˈkɒmbæt dɪˈziz/	Doctors and researchers constantly work to combat disease and find cures.
32	Contract a disease /ˈkɒntrækt ə dɪˈziz/	Travelers may contract a disease in areas with poor water quality.
33	Control disease /kənˈtroʊl dɪˈziz/	Public health measures help control disease outbreaks effectively.
34	Cure diseases /kjʊər dɪˈzizɪz/	Medical breakthroughs have led to vaccines that cure diseases.
35	Detect disease /dɪˈtɛkt dɪˈziz/	Early screenings help detect disease when treatment is most effective.
36	Develop a disease /dɪˈveləp ə dɪˈziz/	Smokers have higher chances to develop a disease related to lung function.
37	Diagnose disease /ˈdaɪəɡnoʊz dɪˈziz/	Advanced imaging helps doctors diagnose disease more accurately.
38	Eliminate disease /ɪˈlɪməneɪt dɪˈziz/	Vaccination campaigns aim to eliminate disease from entire populations.
39	Fight disease /faɪt dɪˈziz/	White blood cells fight disease by attacking harmful pathogens.
40	Monitor disease /ˈmɒnɪtər dɪˈziz/	Regular check-ups help doctors monitor disease progression effectively.

4. Disease Prevention and Treatment

No.	Collocations with Disease	Example
41	Prevent a disease /prɪˈvɛnt ə dɪˈziz/	Regular exercise and healthy diet help prevent heart disease.
42	Preventable disease /prɪˈvɛntəbl̩ dɪˈziːz/	Vaccinations protect against many preventable diseases effectively.
43	Reverse a disease /rɪˈvɜːrs ə dɪˈziːz/	Researchers study ways to reverse Alzheimer's disease progression.
44	Screen for disease /skriːn fɔːr dɪˈziz/	Mammograms screen for disease in breast tissue regularly.
45	Spread disease /spred dɪˈziz/	Poor hygiene practices can spread disease through contaminated surfaces.
46	Succumb to disease /səˈkʌm tuː dɪˈziz/	Despite treatment efforts, some patients succumb to disease complications.
47	Suffer from disease /ˈsʌfər frʌm dɪˈziz/	Millions worldwide suffer from disease caused by malnutrition.
48	Transmit disease /trænzˈmɪt dɪˈziz/	Infected animals can transmit disease to humans through direct contact.
49	Treat disease /triːt dɪˈziz/	Modern medicine has revolutionized how we treat disease effectively.
50	Underlying disease /ˌʌndərˈlaɪɪŋ dɪˈziz/	COVID-19 poses greater risks for patients with underlying disease conditions.

5. Specialized Medical Terminology

No.	Collocations with Disease	Example
51	Neurological disease /ˌnʊrəˈlɑːdʒɪkəl dɪˈziːz/	Parkinson's disease is a common neurological disease affecting movement.
52	Occupational disease /ˌɒkjʊˈpeɪʃənəl dɪˈziz/	Asbestos exposure causes occupational disease in construction workers.
53	Parasitic disease /ˌpærəˈsɪtɪk dɪˈziz/	Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted through mosquito bites.
54	Respiratory disease /ˈrespərətɔːri dɪˈziz/	Pneumonia is a serious respiratory disease affecting lung function.
55	Sexually transmitted disease /ˈsekʃuəli trænzˈmɪtɪd dɪˈziz/	Regular testing helps detect sexually transmitted disease early.
56	Tropical disease /ˈtrɒpɪkəl dɪˈziz/	Dengue fever is a tropical disease common in Southeast Asia.
57	Vascular disease /ˈvæskjʊlər dɪˈziz/	Atherosclerosis is a vascular disease that narrows blood vessels.
58	Viral disease /ˈvaɪrəl dɪˈziz/	Influenza is a viral disease that spreads rapidly during winter months.

These comprehensive tables provide essential vocabulary for medical professionals, students preparing for English proficiency exams, and anyone seeking precise disease-related terminology. Each collocation includes phonetic pronunciation to ensure accurate spoken communication in medical contexts.

Explore even more collocations with Disease by clicking the link below:

EXPLORE MORE COLLOCATIONS WITH DISEASE ON CAMBRIDGE!

III. Exercises on collocations with Disease

To better understand the meanings of collocations with Disease, let's complete the exercise section below together!

1. Exercise: Fill in the blank with the appropriate word

allergic disease; airway disease; advanced disease; age-related disease; bone disease

Pain is an uncommon symptom, except in __________.
A small but growing literature on the older driver supports the concept that ___________ may interfere with the ease and safety of using many modes of transportation.
Associations of smoking with hospital-based care and quality of life in patients with obstructive __________.
These findings suggest that in patients with congenital heart disease, pulmonary hemodynamic abnormalities enhance the manifestation of __________, particularly asthma.
Bisphosphonates are unique in the treatment of metastatic ___________ as this is a bone-targeted therapy.

2. Answer

1 - advanced disease

2 - age-related disease

3 - airway disease

4 - allergic disease

5 - bone disease

These collocations with disease form the foundation of medical English proficiency. Regular practice with these phrases enhances both written and spoken communication in healthcare environments. Whether preparing for English proficiency exams or working in medical fields, these collocations provide the precision and clarity essential for effective professional communication. Master these terms to express complex medical concepts with confidence and accuracy.

Chloe

Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.