ailing

adjective

ail·​ing ˈā-liŋ How to pronounce ailing (audio)
: having or suffering from an illness or injury
providing care for his ailing mother
trying to rest her ailing knee/back
a person in ailing health
often used figuratively
an ailing company
an ailing economy

Examples of ailing in a Sentence

when his ailing wife had to go to a nursing home, he visited her every day he was ailing from some sort of infection in his eye that made it look all red and puffy
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Warriors saddled an ailing Curry with an even heavier load in the second half once Jimmy Butler was ruled out with a lower back injury. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2025 With Larsson getting the start for the ailing Powell, the Heat’s core four off the bench remained intact and again made a big impact in a win. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025 And Lloyd brings a stiff upper lip that melts away to secret tenderness and fear to Celeste, who is not only navigating the realities of being the only Black woman in the group, but also returning home to take care of her ailing mother. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025 On Wednesday, the ailing French luxury group reported a 10 percent drop in revenues, although the company’s star brand Gucci performed better than analysts had expected. Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ailing

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of ail entry 1

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ailing was in 1598

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ailing. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.

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