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
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Recent Examples of ailed
The tweaks should fix much of what has long ailed it.
—
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2026
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
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
Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith is aiming to fix what ailed the Spartans offense in the second half of their Week 1 victory over Western Michigan.
—Christian Romo, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2026
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
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
Michigan State football coach Jonathan Smith is aiming to fix what ailed the Spartans offense in the second half of their Week 1 victory over Western Michigan.
—Christian Romo, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ailed
Verb
-
The Vedder Cup is a tongue-in-cheek attempt to pair the Padres and Mariners as rivals despite the two teams not having much reason to get all hot and bothered about a series.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 May 2026
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He has since been elected to the state Senate twice, in one of Iowa’s bluest areas; both times, no Republican bothered to run.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
For the last several months, wildlife experts have been alarmed by a large influx of dead and emaciated seabirds washing up on California beaches.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement are alarmed by the speed of the rollbacks, noting that protections won through generations of sacrifice have been weakened in little more than a decade.—
Kim Chandler,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
She has also been disturbed by the increase in what looks to her like a lack of trust in science, as seen in falling vaccination rates and rising instances of diseases like measles.—
Deepti Hajela,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
When to Plant Watermelon Seeds Most seed catalogs recommend direct sowing watermelon seeds into gardens or pots because watermelons don’t like to have their roots disturbed.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
Rather than acting out on the anger, take a calming moment with some deep breaths, and think about the possibility that your partner was possibly distracted or stressed out.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
But during the aufguss ceremony at BASIN Glacial Waters, people smiled and laughed and swayed to the music, and Kyan’s dance-like towel moves distracted me from the discomfort of the heat.—
Jen Murphy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Patients were concerned too, and some asked Hulse what would happen to the new clinic after her team left.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Vets weigh in on why dogs start grazing and when to be concerned.—
Diana Bocco,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Still, Davies is worried the demand for compute far outstrips capabilities to repurpose waste heat, and could lead to more data center construction that would further burden environmental capacity versus extend it.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
-
Those earlier polls left some Democratic Party leaders worried that Democrats might get shut out entirely from the general election.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Her excuse was that the robbery was a sign that Preston was plagued by bad luck.—
Sabrina Reed,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Since the moon is also void for nearly the entire day, before entering Aries later this evening, the energy could feel strangely unsettled.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
The question of how to balance me and us is still unsettled as of Season 50.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ailed. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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