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 that road can be longer when an ailment isn’t as visible—a string of mysterious stomachaches or sporadic painful migraines are more difficult to explain.
—
Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026
Star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) played in only two games, while quarterback Lamar Jackson missed four games and played through various nagging ailments in others.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
And as an athlete, I was faced with so many different physical ailments, from muscle soreness, back strains, muscle tears, broken ankles, to my bigger crashes and all of those things.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 16 Apr. 2026
Phil Collins, who just turned 75 and is fighting health ailments, received good news this week, along with Iron Maiden and Luther Vandross, as being among the 2026 inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ailment
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Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026
Star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) played in only two games, while quarterback Lamar Jackson missed four games and played through various nagging ailments in others.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 17 Apr. 2026
And as an athlete, I was faced with so many different physical ailments, from muscle soreness, back strains, muscle tears, broken ankles, to my bigger crashes and all of those things.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 16 Apr. 2026
Phil Collins, who just turned 75 and is fighting health ailments, received good news this week, along with Iron Maiden and Luther Vandross, as being among the 2026 inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 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 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ailment
noun
ail·ment
ˈā(ə)l-mənt 
: a bodily disorder or chronic disease
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