1
: a bodily disorder or chronic disease
a stomach ailment
2
: unrest, uneasiness
an emotional ailment
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
But missing 16 due to ailments to this stage has to be concerning when talking about a 32-year-old who is extension eligible.
—
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
Michael King missed most of last year due to shoulder and knee ailments.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
Stephon Castle was out Thursday with a hip ailment.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 19 Mar. 2026
For decades researchers have been investigating whether other types of medications can treat the ailment.
—Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ailment
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.
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026
Michael King missed most of last year due to shoulder and knee ailments.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026
Stephon Castle was out Thursday with a hip ailment.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 19 Mar. 2026
For decades researchers have been investigating whether other types of medications can treat the ailment.
—Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ailment
Cite this Entry
“Ailment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ailment. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ailment
noun
ail·ment
ˈā(ə)l-mənt 
: a bodily disorder or chronic disease
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
