ailment

noun

ail·​ment ˈāl-mənt 

1

: a bodily disorder or chronic disease

a stomach ailment

2

: unrest, uneasiness

an emotional ailment

Synonyms of ailment

• disease
• illness
• ill
• condition
• fever
• sickness

Examples of ailment in a Sentence

She suffered from a chronic back ailment.

The doctor treated him for a variety of ailments.

Recent Examples on the Web

Injuries limited him to 36 games last season and various ailments have dogged him off and on the past few years. —Greg Cote may 25, Miami Herald, 25 May 2026

Experts fear that many more people could die if citizens become afraid of going to the hospital for other ailments, like malaria, measles and malnutrition. —Erikas Mwisi, CNN Money, 24 May 2026

The death was attributed to a liver ailment, which veterans said had nothing to do with Siwash’s fondness for beer. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026

Most are seeded and many have been bred for disease resistance against fusarium, anthracnose, and other common ailments. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 23 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

ail entry 1 + -ment

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ailment

• bailment
• curtailment
• derailment
• entailment

Kids Definition

ailment

noun

ail·​ment ˈāl-mənt 

: a bodily disorder : sickness

Medical Definition

ailment

noun

ail·​ment ˈā(ə)l-mənt 

: a bodily disorder or chronic disease