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
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Recent Examples of ailing
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 20 June 2025
An ailing right thumb could explain his shooting woes during the postseason, when the fourth-year guard suffered through a horrendous 0-of-15 shooting slump and shot just 4-of-23 over his last six playoff games.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2025
Advocates worry the lack of transparency will allow bad actors to continue running care facilities and putting elderly, disabled and ailing residents at risk.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ailing
Adjective
In Twin Peaks, Deputy Chief Hawk and Sheriff Frank Truman—filling in for ailing brother Frank—work on following a lead phoned in by an ailing Log Lady, while Richard Horne, son of Audrey Horne and Cooper’s evil double, spiraling into depravity and addiction, kills a child in a hit-and-run.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 20 June 2025
An ailing right thumb could explain his shooting woes during the postseason, when the fourth-year guard suffered through a horrendous 0-of-15 shooting slump and shot just 4-of-23 over his last six playoff games.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 May 2025
Verb
Swank did step away from acting for three years at age 24 to care for her ailing father.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2025
Advocates worry the lack of transparency will allow bad actors to continue running care facilities and putting elderly, disabled and ailing residents at risk.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ailing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ailing
Adjective
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They’ve been counted on to fix what breaks, carry what slips, hold what’s fragile.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
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Unlike other thin, fragile flats that offer little wear before falling apart, these are reinforced with Vionic’s trademark cushioning, a removable insert, and premium upper materials.—
Kayla Blanton,
People.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
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Kids get hurt and get sick, like anyone else; every year, a few in the practice battle life-threatening illness, often cancer.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
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Mission Viejo raced to the title while playing without wide receiver Vance Spafford (sick), cornerback Jeron Jones (fractured wrist), safeties Sawyer Thomson (knee) and Zachary Foeldi (knee) and wide receiver Max Markofski (hip).—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
13 July 2025
Verb
-
Rodin Cars The big idea behind Rodin is to build cars without bothering about vehicle regulations – in stark contrast to F1 cars, which are subject to several rules around how they're put together.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Jan. 2025
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The city and state have also been ramping up efforts to engage troubled vagrants sleeping and sometimes bothering straphangers, connecting them with services and shelter and potentially involuntary treatment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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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
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Both the United States and the United Nations have stepped back from leadership roles, a reflection of how poorly interventions in Haiti have gone and also the wide range of issues in other parts of the world at the moment.—
Adam Taylor,
Washington Post,
7 Mar. 2024
Adjective
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The frail but determined Francis greeted thousands in St. Peter's Square after Easter Mass in his open-air popemobile, just five weeks after a hospital stay.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
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Very old or frail tapestries may be best framed to protect them.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Amazon $140 Walmart WIRED’s previous top pick for best automatic latte machine is a great value even on a bad day.—
Scott Gilbertson,
Wired News,
10 July 2025
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Myers, who also participated in the September hunger strike at MacDougall-Walker, told CT Mirror that the lockdowns at Cheshire are worse.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Beneath several sickly banana trees sat a man in tired corduroy pants and worn blue Skechers.—
Pete McKenzie,
Harpers Magazine,
18 June 2025
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As a sickly boy raised by two women, young Darin was smothered with affection.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Thursday’s Wimbledon semifinal between Aryna Sabalenka and American Amanda Anisimova was halted by two stoppages in the first set due to spectators being taken ill in the stands.—
Leon Imber,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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Who would speak ill about a child that has had dozens of surgeries and is so blessed to even be here with us today?—
John Lawson,
Essence,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ailing. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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