as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
half of the staff is out sick with the usual wintertime ails
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bother
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
parents who were at a loss to explain what was ailing their normally vivacious daughter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ail
Ben Morse,
CNN,
17 Feb. 2024
In the age of generative AI, the theft of huge troves of medical information might be even more dangerous, as our health records wind up in data sets that enable off-the-books innovation in exploiting our ails.
—
Steven Levy,
WIRED,
12 Jan. 2024
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
China has two films in the main competition, the 2025 $215m box office hit Nobody by Shui Yu, and Tana, a contemporary tale about a young woman who leaves Shanghai to support her ailing father in Inner Mongolia.
—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ail
Noun
What’s more, the age-old phrase the team’s fans have used to describe Detroit’s recent ails – ‘SOL’ or same old Lions – seems to have been banished for now.
—
Ben Morse,
CNN,
17 Feb. 2024
In the age of generative AI, the theft of huge troves of medical information might be even more dangerous, as our health records wind up in data sets that enable off-the-books innovation in exploiting our ails.
—
Steven Levy,
WIRED,
12 Jan. 2024
Verb
After years without sustained growth in Britain, economic headwinds linked to global conflicts and the fallout from Brexit, as well as his own electoral pledge of fiscal discipline, have left a leader who promised change with little room for major reforms or investment in ailing public services.
—
Nick Duffy,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
China has two films in the main competition, the 2025 $215m box office hit Nobody by Shui Yu, and Tana, a contemporary tale about a young woman who leaves Shanghai to support her ailing father in Inner Mongolia.
—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ail
Noun
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Speaking with Seacoast Online, part of the USA TODAY Network, three years after his diagnosis, Hall said the symptoms of the disease can come and go.
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While bedbugs are not known to spread or transmit disease, the Environmental Protection Agency considers the parasitic insects a pest that can cause other public health issues such as allergic reactions, secondary infections and mental health impacts on those living in infested homes.
Verb
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While some of the wives wouldn’t bother coming to games every Sunday, Michel said, many of the children saw the Feeney fathers as proper heroes.
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His pace routinely bothered Sweden, including on one impressive solo run in the first half that produced a quality attacking scenario.
Noun
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Imaging this week showed Brown has a stress reaction in his neck, which was in the same spot as his 2024 ailment that ultimately had been diagnosed as an osteoma (benign bone tumor).
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Also in Indy, Caitlin Clark left last night’s game with a back ailment.
Verb
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The bill’s impact on the massive pension system alarmed CalPERS’ staff, who estimated that premiums would increase by over $28 a month per member in the first year of the bill.
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So, even just the unusual presence of an aircraft in this area made this incident alarming for one resident, Anna, who spoke to CNN near the scene.
Noun
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What Research Shows About Cancer in Dogs While there is no evidence that turkey tail shrinks tumors, the mushroom has drawn real scientific interest as a complementary therapy for serious illness.
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Harold Wheeler, a prolific and Tony-winning Broadway orchestrator, composer and conductor who for 17 seasons served as musical director for ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, died following a lengthy illness Wednesday, June 24, at his home in Los Angeles.
Verb
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The first trailer stars Keitel drinking in a bar, while the second sees DeVito’s sleep getting disturbed by a phone call.
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What a depressing, disturbing waste, no matter the final verdict.
Noun
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Of course, some of society’s foremost ills in 2026 owe themselves to the World Wide Web.
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In the winter of 1920, the United States entered Prohibition in the United States after years of campaigning by temperance groups who believed alcohol sat at the root of many social ills.
Verb
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On Election Day, Schlossberg was campaigning out in the rain despite the concerning polls, hearing stories from passersby about their Kennedy encounters over the years and taking selfies with starstruck supporters.
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One of the increasingly concerning threats is drones, which can be piloted remotely and are difficult to disable.
Cite this Entry
“Ail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ail. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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