cure

To make a disease or its harmful effects go away completely.

• This medicine can cure the infection.
• The treatment cured her skin disease.
• Scientists are working to cure more types of cancer.

Similar words: eliminate, heal

Common phrases: cure a disease, cure an infection, cure cancer

To make a sick person or animal healthy again.

• The doctor cured the sick child.
• That medicine cured him of his illness.
• Can this treatment cure every patient?

How to use it: cure someone of something (The treatment cured her of the infection.)

Similar words: heal

Common phrases: cure someone, cure a patient, cure someone completely

To solve a problem or stop an unwanted habit or condition.

• A new cable cured the problem.
• The trip cured my boredom.
• Can better training cure these repeated mistakes?

How to use it: cure someone of something (That embarrassing mistake cured him of his habit of boasting.)

Similar words: solve, fix, remedy

Common phrases: cure a problem, cure a habit, cure someone's boredom

To keep food from going bad by adding salt or using smoke or other methods.

• We cure the meat with salt.
• The ham was cured for several weeks.
• Do you smoke the fish after curing it?

How to use it: cure something with something (They cure the fish with salt and sugar.)

Similar words: preserve

Common phrases: cure meat, cure with salt, cure the ham

Something that makes an illness go away or solves a problem.

• There is no cure for this disease.
• They are searching for a cure.
• A holiday is not always a cure for stress.

How to use it: a cure for something (A walk can be a good cure for boredom.)

Similar words: remedy, solution

Common phrases: cure for something, find a cure, effective cure, medical cure

The process or result of becoming healthy again after an illness or injury.

• A complete cure may take months.
• The treatment brought about a lasting cure.
• Doctors could not promise a permanent cure.

Similar words: recovery, healing

Common phrases: complete cure, permanent cure, achieve a cure