ailment

noun

ail·​ment ˈāl-mənt How to pronounce ailment (audio)
Synonyms of ailment
1
: a bodily disorder or chronic disease
a stomach ailment
2
: unrest, uneasiness
an emotional ailment

Synonyms of ailment

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Examples of ailment in a Sentence

She suffered from a chronic back ailment. The doctor treated him for a variety of ailments.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those poor defensive numbers might be due in part to a back ailment that Adames has battled at times this year, which has impacted his ability to work with Washington. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2026 Five players also left the field with apparent injuries or ailments during the first week of training camp. — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, however, hasn’t pitched in almost a month, while managing a left knee ailment. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Tracking of an outbreak of the intestinal ailment began in Michigan on June 22, and the number has been increasing by the hundreds each day. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ailment

Word History

Etymology

ail entry 1 + -ment

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ailment was in 1606

Rhymes for ailment

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Browse Nearby Words

aillt
ailment
Ailsa Craig
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Cite this Entry

“Ailment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ailment. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ailment

noun
ail·​ment ˈāl-mənt How to pronounce ailment (audio)
: a bodily disorder : sickness

Medical Definition

ailment

noun
ail·​ment ˈā(ə)l-mənt How to pronounce ailment (audio)
: a bodily disorder or chronic disease

More from Merriam-Webster on ailment

Nglish: Translation of ailment for Spanish Speakers

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