ailing

1 of 2

adjective

ail·​ing ˈā-liŋ How to pronounce ailing (audio)
Synonyms of ailingnext
: having or suffering from an illness or injury
providing care for his ailing mother
trying to rest her ailing knee/back
a person in ailing health
—often used figuratively
an ailing company
an ailing economy

ailing

2 of 2

present participle of ail entry 1

Synonyms of ailing

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Adjective

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Examples of ailing in a Sentence

Adjective when his ailing wife had to go to a nursing home, he visited her every day he was ailing from some sort of infection in his eye that made it look all red and puffy
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
The Giants also provided updates on a pair of ailing position players. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026 Midway through the tour, Bonham had to leave to tend to his ailing mother. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026 Those ailing leaves can be a sign of deeper problems such as rotting roots or a bug infestation, though sometimes, a yellowing leaf is just part of a monstera’s natural aging process. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2026 Escalation in the economic space would target an ailing Iranian economy, which has suffered inflation near 65% over the past year, according to Iran's central bank. — Chris Boccia, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ailing

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of ail entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ailing was in 1598

Rhymes for ailing

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Browse Nearby Words

Ailey
ailing
aillt
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Cite this Entry

“Ailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ailing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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