as in disease
an abnormal state that disrupts a plant's or animal's normal bodily functioning
a doctor known for successfully treating patients with chronic back ailments
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ailment
Think about health care, the ability to make sure people have access to health care and the ability to diagnose ailments, challenges, diseases at a much earlier stage.
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Patrick Jarenwattananon, NPR, 30 Jan. 2025
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who made his return to the floor after not playing for nearly a full year because of feet ailments that led to offseason surgery, sat out Tuesday’s game because of right foot surgery recovery.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 28 Jan. 2025
The fumes from ammonia can be especially harmful to infants and children, people with respiratory ailments or conditions, as well as pets.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Jan. 2025
Because inflammatory conditions trigger many seemingly unrelated diseases, Humira helps patients with numerous ailments including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory bowel disease), and Ankylosing Spondylitis (a disease that causes inflammation in the spine and other joints).
—Wayne Winegarden, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ailment 
Patrick Jarenwattananon, NPR, 30 Jan. 2025
Forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who made his return to the floor after not playing for nearly a full year because of feet ailments that led to offseason surgery, sat out Tuesday’s game because of right foot surgery recovery.
—Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 28 Jan. 2025
The fumes from ammonia can be especially harmful to infants and children, people with respiratory ailments or conditions, as well as pets.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Jan. 2025
Because inflammatory conditions trigger many seemingly unrelated diseases, Humira helps patients with numerous ailments including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease (an inflammatory bowel disease), and Ankylosing Spondylitis (a disease that causes inflammation in the spine and other joints).
—Wayne Winegarden, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ailment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ailment
Noun
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Show creator Samantha Strauss said the character of Lucy was important to depict what a lot of people feel when fighting a disease: not listened to, not in control and not acknowledged as a full person.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN,
16 Feb. 2025
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Leukemia, a disease of the blood and bone marrow, disrupts the body's ability to produce normal blood cells.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Clark said the Naval Special Warfare Command reported 1,168 cases of acute gastrointestinal illnesses, such as nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, among Navy SEAL and Special Warfare Combat crewman candidates at the Coronado base from January 2019 to May 2023.—
Tammy Murga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2025
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The Heat was missing Bam Adebayo (left knee contusion), Andrew Wiggins (stomach illness), Josh Christopher (G League), Keshad Johnson (G League), Kevin Love (personal reasons), Terry Rozier (stomach illness), Dru Smith (left Achilles surgery) and Isaiah Stevens (G League) against the Mavericks.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The superrich have always wielded inordinate economic and social power and, as such, have plenty of historical ills to answer for.—
Brian Klaas,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2025
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The latest example is Tony Scholes, the Premier League’s chief football officer, who commented at a media event this week that officials may crack down on one of the modern game’s great ills: goal celebrations.—
Nick Miller,
The Athletic,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Manchester United, Bournemouth, West Ham United and Everton are in advanced talks to participate in the Premier League’s Summer Series event in the United States at the end of July, according to multiple sources familiar with the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity.—
Adam Crafton,
The Athletic,
18 Feb. 2025
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According to the Associated Press, citing three FDA staffers on the condition of anonymity, probationary employees across the FDA received notices Saturday evening that their jobs were being eliminated.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Measles is a highly contagious airborne illness that can cause rash, fever, red eyes and cough.—
Neha Mukherjee,
CNN,
14 Feb. 2025
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The film’s ghostly images are at once flattened and alive, hovering in visual purgatory as scenes begin to feel not only like fever dreams, but out-of-body observations of the dreamers themselves.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Officials have placed the facility under quarantine, but the cattle have not shown signs of sickness.—
Liam Hibbert | The Center Square Contributor,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
16 Feb. 2025
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Botulism is a rare, but dangerous sickness that causes difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis and even death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ailment
Cite this Entry
“Ailment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ailment. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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