as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
half of the staff is out sick with the usual wintertime ails
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bother
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
parents who were at a loss to explain what was ailing their normally vivacious daughter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ail
Ben Morse, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024
In the age of generative AI, the theft of huge troves of medical information might be even more dangerous, as our health records wind up in data sets that enable off-the-books innovation in exploiting our ails.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2024
David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
The first comments by 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei come as violence surrounding the demonstrations sparked by Iran’s ailing economy has killed at least 10 people.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ail
Noun
What’s more, the age-old phrase the team’s fans have used to describe Detroit’s recent ails – ‘SOL’ or same old Lions – seems to have been banished for now.
—Verb
Waddle was questionable with ailing ribs suffered last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for ail
Noun
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Plant diseases and pests can be spread by reusing dirty flower pots.—
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In 2024, Patrick's widow Lisa Niemi Swayze teamed up with leading non profit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to help raise awareness of the disease and increase funding for research.—
Verb
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Take a seat on an icy throne—the cold never bothered you anyway.—
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Don’t bother wasting your money—using it more than once a day won’t yield ‘better’ or faster results.—
Noun
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In 2010, two years before his death at 82 from complications of heart and lung ailments, Reisman founded Table Tennis Nation.—
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Wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, who popped up on the injury report Thursday with a hamstring ailment, was present.—
Verb
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The images alarmed many onlookers, watchdogs and people whose photos had been manipulated, and there was a sustained pushback on X leading up to the change.—
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That the administration appears unconcerned by this fact should alarm everyone else.—
Noun
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The Pistons played without Cade Cunningham (wrist), Isaiah Stewart (illness), Tobias Harris (hip) and Jalen Duren (ankle).—
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Vinjamoori explains that while general recommendations for older adults often start lower, needs increase significantly if a person is active, recovering from illness, or trying to rebuild strength.—
Verb
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Rose tells Shaw that her community is concerned about sacred remains being disturbed.—
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The 34-year-old appeared to have deactivated her X account after disturbing posts on her account resurfaced online.—
Noun
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As a result of her work with AMRs, Wise avoids framing humanoids as some sort of industrial panacea for every economic ill, from labor shortages to manufacturing bottlenecks.—
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Certainly, in the past several years, the app has been blamed for any number of contemporary social ills.—
Verb
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Orpin did not respond to follow-up questions concerning the fate of the cidery's canning and retail sales operations.—
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Other concerning signs include constipation, feeling cold all the time, lightheadedness or fainting, and missing periods in girls.—
Cite this Entry
“Ail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ail. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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