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

Professional patient Argan indulges his every ailment, and schemes to marry off his daughter to a doctor to save on medical bills. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026

The existing international surveillance and response systems for these ailments are limited in scope. — Anna Nelson, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026

One year after the fire, Christine Moore died unexpectedly with a heart ailment. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Dawn had had a lifelong interest in homeopathy and spent hours obsessively detailing her children’s ailments. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 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