1
as in fragile
chronically or repeatedly suffering from poor health
when his ailing wife had to go to a nursing home, he visited her every day
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
he was ailing from some sort of infection in his eye that made it look all red and puffy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bothering
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 ailing
Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Now 86 and ailing, Khamenei has lived long enough to see the total failure of his predecessor’s revolution.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2025
Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
The pic centers on Ali (Ekin Koç), a university professor who is haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother and coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ailing
Adjective
Actor Timothee Chalamet was praised for his portrayal of Dylan, including a visit to a New Jersey psychiatric hospital to see an ailing Guthrie, who was suffering from Huntington’s disease.
—Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Now 86 and ailing, Khamenei has lived long enough to see the total failure of his predecessor’s revolution.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Army denied there was a connection between its activities and the rural area’s dying sheep and ailing people.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
The pic centers on Ali (Ekin Koç), a university professor who is haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother and coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.
—Patrick Hipes, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ailing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ailing
Adjective
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The giant ginkgo doesn’t change much, but everything around it does, and Enyedi seems determined to show us how fragile, and culturally contingent our idea of reality, really is.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
5 Sep. 2025
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Underwater drones could one day use similar appendages to squeeze into tight spaces, explore fragile ecosystems without damage, or carry out repairs in difficult-to-reach areas.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Some doctors might not even immediately recognize symptoms in a sick patient because vaccines have made many contagious diseases rare in this country, said Marty, the FIU expert.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
4 Sep. 2025
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However, some can, and those with risk factors can certainly become very sick.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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So, at least for now, Chamorro is not bothering with the official Pop Mart drops.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
24 Aug. 2025
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While there is still hope that Clark can return this season from the groin injury that has been bothering her, there is no guarantee of that becoming a reality.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This involves having a poorly or non-functioning colon and is not usually reversible.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
17 Aug. 2025
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The researchers and their partners are also working to track local residents’ health and to measure how well or poorly interventions like masks and household air filters protected them.—
Maggie Astor,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Ten Hag’s first season at United yielded silverware and a third-place league finish, but also had bouts of concerning away form, with tactical weaknesses that would eventually spread and critically undermine his plans for the future.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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Far more concerning is the fact that the median age of onset for eating disorders in the United States coincides with the typical age of college enrollment.—
Mallary Tenore Tarpley,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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After Arsenal took advantage of a frail Bayindir to score from yet another set piece, Raya stood strong to repel the hosts.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
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Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This was a classic Smith performance with tons of yardage and some risky throws with both good and bad results.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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You were called something much worse, and [it was] accepted.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The tackling was alarming enough that the Broncos were practicing on Monday with live tackles, something that’s not seen too often once the season starts.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Sep. 2025
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The news was saddening for Jewell — but also alarming for the defense.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ailing. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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