Grave disease consumes old male (4)
I believe the answer is:
tomb
'grave' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'disease consumes old male' is the wordplay.
'disease' becomes 'TB' (short for tuberculosis).
'consumes' indicates putting letters inside.
'old' becomes 'o' (common abbreviation eg in OE for Old English).
'male' becomes 'm' (common abbreviation).
'o'+'m'='om'
'tb' going around 'om' is 'TOMB'.
(Other definitions for tomb that I've seen before include "Last resting-place" , "Burial chamber" , "Underground vault" , "Building for a body" , "Crypt or grave" .)