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
Pezeshkian turned to Araghchi to help deliver his promise of sanctions relief for the ailing economy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026
It comes as the party has shifted its tone on Brexit as it grappled with Britain's ailing economy.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 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
She was on the far pavement walking an ailing swag-bellied dachshund on a lead.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
