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
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Jan. 2025
Philadelphia Eagles 22, Green Bay Packers 10 — The ailing and error-prone Packers were no match for the Eagles, who won an ugly playoff game that won't get many replays on NFL Network.
—Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
Earlier in the year, James missed two games by taking a week away from the team to heal his ailing left foot and reset mentally.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ailing
Adjective
The actress’ requisite ferocious grace this time is lent to Sabine, an ailing French artist who refuses to waste her final days bedridden.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Jan. 2025
Philadelphia Eagles 22, Green Bay Packers 10 — The ailing and error-prone Packers were no match for the Eagles, who won an ugly playoff game that won't get many replays on NFL Network.
—Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
Avery Russell Deckhand, Below Deck S8 The first crew member to leave after only one day and the only one to do so voluntarily, Avery returned home before the season even started to be with his ailing grandmother.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
Earlier in the year, James missed two games by taking a week away from the team to heal his ailing left foot and reset mentally.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ailing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ailing
Adjective
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Burnout is rampant, employee trust is fragile, and businesses that fail to cultivate genuine workplace culture are losing talent fast.—
Nell Derick Debevoise,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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The news comes even as talks over the fragile ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas take place.—
Lauren Izso,
CNN,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Nearly 95 people got sick during a norovirus outbreak on a Holland America Line ship, the cruise line’s fourth this year.—
Nathan Diller,
USA TODAY,
18 Mar. 2025
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Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock alum Tracy Morgan caused a temporary delay at Monday night's NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat after the actor and comedian got sick in his courtside seat during the second half, and later sharing an update on his condition from a hospital bed.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
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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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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
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Story will be a free agent and at this stage why would an accomplished player stay with the poorly run Rockies?—
BostonGlobe.com,
BostonGlobe.com,
27 Mar. 2021
Adjective
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His frail voice also put on display the severity of his condition.—
Christopher Cann,
USA TODAY,
7 Mar. 2025
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Instead, two frail aging parents in failing health are supposed to continue to be legally in charge of one another.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Jayson Tatum kept the Celtics in the game most of the night with 33 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, but Brown had one of his worst games of the year with just 10 points.—
Jay King,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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However, most heating processes will do this to some extent, and there is no substantial evidence to suggest microwaving is worse than any other, unless heating at a particularly high temperature.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The water was a blur of teal fringed with rusty shadows, darkening, about twenty feet below, to a sickly emerald.—
Julian Lucas,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
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Larry Shapiro, Calgary, Alberta Hamas has no conscience Seeing the sickly, gaunt faces of the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas in Gaza on Feb. 8 presented a clear picture of the loathing and deep hostility their abductors felt for them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As such, sometimes doctors will administer vitamin A to severely ill children to decrease the chances of complications of the measles.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
11 Mar. 2025
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The case was settled in 2007, but the Connecticut department was sued again in 2021 over its use of in-cell restraints and a practice of keeping the mentally ill confined for up to 22 hours a day.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ailing. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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