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
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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
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Jim learned how to compartmentalize his feelings to survive amid the uncertainty of what was ailing his daughter.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 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
Martin did not specify what ailed her, but since comments were left on, other people spoke on her behalf.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Jim learned how to compartmentalize his feelings to survive amid the uncertainty of what was ailing his daughter.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ail
Noun
-
Fox, 64, has worked for decades with Parkinson’s disease, which he was diagnosed with at age 29 in the early 1990s but kept private until 1998.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
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For instance, there may be more car crashes, animal bites, property damage and zoonotic disease transmission.—
Daniel T. Blumstein,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Heat’s third matchup of the season against the Raptors didn’t go well either, as Toronto’s length on the defensive end again bothered Miami.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
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Along the way, Melton strained his left thumb — and that clearly bothered him.—
Ron Kroichick,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Brown was ruled out with Achilles tendonitis, the same ailment that sidelined him for wins over Atlanta and Charlotte late last month.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Autoimmune diseases—a broad and complex category of ailments including rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes—have long puzzled researchers.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Aside from the primary deficit, economists are also alarmed by the interest payments now required to service the debt—estimated to come in at more than $1 trillion this year.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
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The Rajput rulers of the Shivalik Hills, alarmed by the growing Sikh influence in the region, had sought Aurangzeb’s assistance after failed attempts to dislodge the Guru from Anandpur, Punjab.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The hip-hop musician died on Monday, April 6, in Atlanta following a brief illness, her family told Billboard in a statement announcing the news.—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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The shelter takes in about 350 animals each year, providing each one with medical attention, including spaying/neutering, vaccines, a microchip, testing for common illnesses, dewormer and flea and heartworm prevention.—
Amanda Rosa
April 9,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In such environments, gravitational encounters can pair black holes together or disturb existing pairs, leading to the mixed spin orientations and more complex motion seen in the data.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Werner said there is one charge, an accusation of participating in an encampment that disturbed university operations, which violates the faculty code of conduct.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And this one guy at this one firm can't solve all of his industry's ills.—
Sam Yellowhorse Kesler,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2026
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Even as professional coders are becoming increasingly enthusiastic about the power of AI coding tools, many end users still see them as a boogeyman to instantly blame for any and all observed ills in the tech industry.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The second dismissed count concerned an allegation that Panini attempted to induce high-profile 2023 and 2024 NFL Draft prospects to breach their exclusive licensing deals with Fanatics.—
Larry Holder,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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That top speed lands this bike squarely in minibike territory, as far as I'm concerned.—
Joe Salas
April 07,
New Atlas,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ail. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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