ailing
Americanadjective
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sickly; unwell.
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unsound or troubled.
a financially ailing corporation.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of ailing
Explanation
Someone who's ailing is sick. You might visit your ailing grandmother in the hospital. You can use the adjective ailing to describe someone who's very ill, or use it figuratively, to talk about "our ailing economy," or "the ailing school system." The next time you call in sick to work, you might say, "I can't come in today — I'm afraid I'm ailing." Ailing comes from the verb ail, "trouble or afflict," from the Old English eglan, "to trouble, plague, or pain."
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
Kennedy kept the water heated to ninety degrees to soothe his ailing back.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
