: 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 figurativelyan 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
Despite Jane’s protests and her desire for a life of freedom, even her beloved but ailing cousin, King Edward VI (Jordan Peters), can’t help her out of this pickle.
—
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 June 2024
Alicia Vikander plays Katherine Parr, the last wife to Jude Law’s increasingly ailing King Henry VIII as palace intrigue and conspiracy theories swirl.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 14 June 2024
Puerto Rico’s primary election for governor on Sunday, June 2, will decide the leadership for the U.S. territory amid its battle with social and fiscal challenges, including an ailing electrical system that frequently causes blackouts for the island’s residents.
—Margie Cullen, USA TODAY, 30 May 2024
Fast-forwarding past all that, Manhunt then moves to four years in the future, when a badly ailing Stanton has been confirmed to the Supreme Court, only to die before being able to take office.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ailing 
Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 27 June 2024
Alicia Vikander plays Katherine Parr, the last wife to Jude Law’s increasingly ailing King Henry VIII as palace intrigue and conspiracy theories swirl.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 14 June 2024
Puerto Rico’s primary election for governor on Sunday, June 2, will decide the leadership for the U.S. territory amid its battle with social and fiscal challenges, including an ailing electrical system that frequently causes blackouts for the island’s residents.
—Margie Cullen, USA TODAY, 30 May 2024
Fast-forwarding past all that, Manhunt then moves to four years in the future, when a badly ailing Stanton has been confirmed to the Supreme Court, only to die before being able to take office.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 19 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ailing
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ailing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Ailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ailing. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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