as in ailments
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
half of the staff is out sick with the usual wintertime ails
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in bothers
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 ails
Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025
Murat Ates, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Vladar can get a few extra days off to rest whatever ails him if the Flyers build off their 5-2 win in Game 3 and complete the sweep Saturday in Philadelphia.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
If that's the case, though, the food will cure what ails you.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
What ails her is not clear, but someone has a hint.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
But even if nothing ails you, take the waters anyway.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2026
Providing service to others seems like a good cure for what ails us today — a true lack of altruism and looking out for each other regardless of race, gender or religion, etc.
—Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
For what ails these Timberwolves, Anderson may just be the antidote.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Feb. 2026
No amount of what-ifs, however, will fix what ails USC during its final three games.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
City may well have believed that a summer break would cure their ails and time would simply consign last season’s mid-season collapse to room 101, but the rest of the league does not forget.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2025
Verb
None of them addresses enough holes elsewhere on the roster to fix all that ails the Jets.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Vladar can get a few extra days off to rest whatever ails him if the Flyers build off their 5-2 win in Game 3 and complete the sweep Saturday in Philadelphia.
—CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
If that's the case, though, the food will cure what ails you.
—Usa Today Network, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
What ails her is not clear, but someone has a hint.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
But even if nothing ails you, take the waters anyway.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2026
Providing service to others seems like a good cure for what ails us today — a true lack of altruism and looking out for each other regardless of race, gender or religion, etc.
—Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
For what ails these Timberwolves, Anderson may just be the antidote.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Feb. 2026
No amount of what-ifs, however, will fix what ails USC during its final three games.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ails
Noun
-
The Valkyries are going into Sunday’s home opener against Phoenix with injuries to Tiffany Hayes and Cecilia Zandalasini – both nursing ailments from Friday’s game – and guard Justė Jocytė still fulfilling her overseas commitment before joining the team.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
9 May 2026
-
The Hornets were down to seven healthy players for the final stretch of games, including Williams with an assortment of ailments.—
Joe Davidson
May 7,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
This is hurtful and bothers me a lot.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
-
My fiance struggles with communication and tends to pretend nothing bothers him.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Fungal infections, leaf spot diseases, scale insects, and spider mites are among the most common culprits.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
-
August is when the season begins to ebb, with fewer nymphs around and eggs hatching larvae that are largely free of diseases.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Sheppard worries about possible injury or burnout as Gout grows.—
Jon Wertheim,
CBS News,
10 May 2026
-
That’s also the gap that worries Ben Mizes, president of Clever Real Estate.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The expectations, the hope is so high for that prescription to be the salve for their ills.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
25 Apr. 2026
-
And this one guy at this one firm can't solve all of his industry's ills.—
Sam Yellowhorse Kesler,
NPR,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Neil Chilson, head of AI policy at the Abundance Institute, tells me what concerns him about this power struggle.—
Benjamin Guggenheim,
Washington Post,
12 May 2026
-
The story concerns a grieving father who, after losing his wife, sends a message out into the stars…and something out there starts to talk back.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Three cases were reported earlier this week, long after the typical growing season for the mushrooms behind the illnesses, leaving public health officials and mycologists puzzled about why the poisonings have been so widespread and what is causing the trend.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
-
Further genetic sequencing is ongoing today to determine the strain causing the illnesses.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The worms thrash and move erratically with a snake-like motion that disturbs the topsoil.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
There are lots of things weightlessness disturbs, even in the short run.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ails. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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