ailed

verb

past tense of ail
as in bothered
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ailed Whatever ailed this World Cup, the beautiful game was waiting with its healing powers. — Miami Herald, 12 July 2026 Shingles, folliculitis, and COVID-19 also ailed her during this time. — David Oliver, USA Today, 8 June 2026 The tweaks should fix much of what has long ailed it. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2026 With none of the colonialist baggage associated with the two European superpowers, America was turned to, almost as a last resort, to fix what ailed Iran. — Daniel Thomas Potts, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026 The same problems that have ailed the team all year persisted. — Kansas City Star, 21 Dec. 2025 That struggling Cincinnati defense has been the cure-all for anything that has ailed the Steelers’ offense in recent years. — Mike Defabo, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025 Most important, he’s been mentioned by Timberwolves coach Chris Finch as a solution for much of what has ailed Minnesota in the past. — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025 Few would get out of bed with the flu-like symptoms that ailed Jordan in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals. — Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ailed
  1. bothered
  2. alarmed
  3. disturbed
  4. distracted
  5. concerned
  6. worried
  7. plagued
  8. unsettled
Verb
  • Zoe Saldaña, who also received a tribute, explained why she was bothered by political questions.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Previous reports suggested that Cruise wasn’t all that bothered by Suri’s decision.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of bothered
Verb
  • Terrified Jewish voters—alarmed by progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s anti-Zionist rhetoric—are fleeing to Republican Mike Rogers for self-preservation.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Beau Woods, a former adviser to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Boeing’s Industry Cyber Technical Council, was alarmed by the findings.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of alarmed
Verb
  • Paper wasps build nests under eaves, benches and fence railings and will sting if disturbed.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, men are also disturbed by the NFL's social media plan.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Verb
  • Debbie intervenes to defuse the tension, then gets distracted by the presence of her nemesis, Cha Cha.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Rodriguez said this can be caused by people being on their phone, distracted while driving.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of distracted
Verb
  • Parents have been concerned about the school since the summer when executive director David Hussey and assistant principal in charge of athletics Jason Camp were ousted.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The investment bank said that while some investors might be concerned about the company’s investment spending, such fears are overdone.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of concerned
Verb
  • But that’s left some observers worried Disney wasn’t bringing in enough summertime visitors.
    — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • At 24 weeks, Mahato was worried by Kabita’s pallid complexion and again recommended a blood test.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of worried
Verb
  • Committee delays The county formed a committee, the Advisory Meeting on Public School Capacity, that was supposed to figure out how to fix the problem, but it's been plagued by delays filling its seats and only met for the first time last month.
    — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • His stint with the Bills was plagued by injuries and a Dallas domestic violence case that led to a four-game suspension.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of plagued
Verb
  • This has unsettled some Pentagon officials who fear the scrutiny will invite meddling.
    — Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Showers may linger into Friday, while the weekend currently trends cooler and unsettled, with additional shower chances if the front stalls out nearby.
    — Bill Kelly, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of unsettled

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Cite this Entry

“Ailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ailed. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of ailed for Spanish Speakers

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