ailing

adjective

ail·​ing ˈā-liŋ How to pronounce ailing (audio)
: 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

Examples of ailing in a Sentence

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
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.
An ailing right thumb could explain his shooting woes during the postseason, when the fourth-year guard suffered through a horrendous 0-of-15 shooting slump and shot just 4-of-23 over his last six playoff games. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 May 2025 Injury updates: In a move quickly buried under a pile of managerial chaos, the Rockies transferred the ailing Kris Bryant to the 60-day IL May 11 amid an ongoing back issue. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 21 May 2025 Vance briefly visited the ailing Francis last month at the Vatican, just hours before his death. Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 8 May 2025 The writer of breakout series Mr Bates vs the Post Office has some choice words for the ailing UK drama industry. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ailing

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of ail entry 1

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ailing was in 1598

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Cite this Entry

“Ailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ailing. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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