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
  • Whether you're bothered by perceiving the crease is entirely subjective, but Samsung added a dual-layered glass architecture to the inside display to reduce the visible crease by 20% on the Z Fold 8.
    — Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 23 July 2026
  • With an outdoor grill, full washer and dryer, and ensuite bathrooms for each bedroom, our party of six could have camped out for a full month–and never bothered to see a theme park.
    — Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 21 July 2026
Definition of bothered
Verb
  • There is currently no evidence that this is the case, and news reports suggest that OpenAI’s own safety teams were alarmed by the incident.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 24 July 2026
  • America’s Poison Centers’s national helpline receives more than 60,000 calls about possible vitamin poisoning every year, mostly from parents alarmed after their children have accidentally gorged on the chewy sweets.
    — Cat Rainsford, Popular Science, 23 July 2026
Definition of alarmed
Verb
  • The gunk Bondurant observed was likely didymo disturbed off the bottom of the river by people swimming and walking around.
    — Hannah Smith July 25, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026
  • By contrast, ecological systems are complexly interconnected, meaning that when one element is disturbed, all the other components linked to it are affected, too, spreading the disturbance throughout the system.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of disturbed
Verb
  • Authorities allege Ivy and Mayhand distracted employees by browsing merchandise while Wiley sat at a consultation desk and stole two pieces of jewelry before the trio fled.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
  • The data can be collected by smartphone apps, transponders and other technology, with the apps able to detect whether a driver is handling the phone and is distracted — a leading cause of accidents along with speeding.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of distracted
Verb
  • Tyson said the State Board believes the county’s elections remain secure and that voters should not be concerned.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026
  • Bloomberg hasn’t verified the authenticity of those posts, which concerned a transcript of a meeting Liang held with unidentified parties.
    — Haze Fan, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Definition of concerned
Verb
  • Another common source of opposition, identified in a 2021 feasibility study, came from community groups worried the cameras would be used to surveil and criminalize marginalized groups.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
  • The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to its highest level since early last year as investors worried that higher energy prices could drive up overall inflation.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 July 2026
Definition of worried
Verb
  • Jackson broke his foot last training camp when a teammate stepped on it during practice, and that injury plagued him all of 2025, and required an offseason procedure that kept him sidelined all OTAs and minicamp.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026
  • As in the last two years, this year’s Tour is plagued by doping.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of plagued
Verb
  • However, analysts said such a move would amount to a large-scale tax cut, and the remarks also unsettled investors.
    — , CNBC, 21 July 2026
  • There is a versatility to Spain that can embrace the transition and accelerate the game — using the moments of brief chaos to their advantage when the opposition are unsettled.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 18 July 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 29 Jul. 2026.

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