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Showing results for ailing. Search instead for wyling.
Synonyms

ailing

American  
[ey-ling] / ˈeɪ lɪŋ /

adjective

  1. sickly; unwell.

  2. unsound or troubled.

    a financially ailing corporation.
ailing British  
/ ˈeɪlɪŋ /

adjective

  1. unwell or unsuccessful

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ailing

First recorded in 1590–1600; ail + -ing 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The German government and the country's chemical industry on Thursday presented a sweeping plan to help the ailing sector as it faces new headwinds from the Middle East war energy shock.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

He’s now CEO of SyberJet Aircraft, an ailing jet manufacturer, which he said he purchased with an investment group.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

He defeated ailing eighth-ranked American Ben Shelton in the third round on Sunday to improve his record against top-10 players to 6-5 — an impressive stat for someone so green.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

If Rinku Singh did not have to leave the team to attend to his ailing father, Samson may not have got that extra chance.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Although Garfield's three older children spent the summer in the White House with their ailing father, they were unprepared for his death.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.