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
Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 13 Jan. 2025
Despite trading away Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas earlier in the day, the ailing Washington Wizards were the clear aggressors from the opening tap and systematically dismantled Brooklyn 119-102
The Wizards opened the game on a 10-2 run and built a 21-9 lead with 5:47 left in the first quarter.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 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
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
Despite trading away Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas earlier in the day, the ailing Washington Wizards were the clear aggressors from the opening tap and systematically dismantled Brooklyn 119-102
The Wizards opened the game on a 10-2 run and built a 21-9 lead with 5:47 left in the first quarter.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 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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This refusal could lead to a crisis with both Hamas and Egypt, the key mediator, at a delicate time for the already fragile truce.—
Nadine El-Bawab,
ABC News,
27 Feb. 2025
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Hours before talks began, an Israeli official said the country would not withdraw from a strategic corridor in the Gaza Strip as called for under the cease-fire, a refusal that could severely complicate negotiations with Hamas and key mediator Egypt at a sensitive moment for the fragile truce.—
Mohammad Jahjouh,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Measles is an infection that can make even healthy children very sick.—
Brenda Goodman and Neha Mukherjee,
CNN,
6 Mar. 2025
-
Less than 10 minutes later, at that same rally, gunfire rang out and a sick and deranged assassin unloaded eight bullets from his sniper’s perch into a crowd of many thousands of people.—
TIME Staff,
TIME,
5 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
-
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
-
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
-
No clear alternative exists in most legal documents when the frail or impaired aging parent refuses to resign and allow the competent adult child to take over, either financial decisions, healthcare decisions or both.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Last week, three male Israeli hostages who were released were frail and gaunt — appearing to be in worse condition than previous hostages Hamas released.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Read: The internet is worse than a brainwashing machine Trump winning the popular vote in November only amplified this dynamic.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Infinitely worse is Kenneth Marshall, the leader of the expedition and the wannabe conqueror of Niflheim.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
28 Feb. 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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The virus spreads easily and can make anyone ill, with symptoms usually lasting one to three days.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
28 Feb. 2025
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The domoic acid event impacting adult animals comes just as centers are gearing up to rescue pups born last summer that often come in dehydrated and ill this time of year because of a lack of food sources.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Orange County Register,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ailing. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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