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
And even though this ailment isn't going to be season-ending, knee ailments tend to linger, and the team will likely err on the side of caution with him.
—
Ernesto Cova, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
An exact cause of death was not given, but North had battled a variety of ailments and injuries in recent years.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2026
For the most part, the nagging ailments have been minimal, with Jaquez appearing in all but seven games this season, after missing 16 last season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Both ailments required offseason surgery.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ailment
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Ernesto Cova, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
An exact cause of death was not given, but North had battled a variety of ailments and injuries in recent years.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2026
For the most part, the nagging ailments have been minimal, with Jaquez appearing in all but seven games this season, after missing 16 last season.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Both ailments required offseason surgery.
—Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ailment
Cite this Entry
“Ailment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ailment. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ailment
noun
ail·ment
ˈā(ə)l-mənt 
: a bodily disorder or chronic disease
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