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

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.
Vitello said the decision to pull Adames, who missed the last three games due to a back ailment, was precautionary. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 July 2026 People commonly used tobacco to treat many ailments, including indigestion, respiratory problems, pain and loathsome mouth afflictions. Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 The women wanted physicians who were disease preventers, and doctors who were attentive to the difficulties wrought by menopause, which have been increasingly found to leave women vulnerable to other ailments. Melanie Thernstrom, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Imaging this week showed Brown has a stress reaction in his neck, which was in the same spot as his 2024 ailment that ultimately had been diagnosed as an osteoma (benign bone tumor). Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ailment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ailment. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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

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