ailment

noun

ail·​ment ˈāl-mənt 

1

: a bodily disorder or chronic disease

a stomach ailment

2

: unrest, uneasiness

an emotional ailment

Synonyms of ailment

• disease
• illness
• ill
• condition
• fever
• sickness

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

Embiid looked to narrowly avoid another ailment in the final minutes of Saturday’s Game 7 against the Celtics when co-star Tyrese Maxey fell backwards onto the big’s knee, the same one that underwent meniscus surgery in 2024. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026

Those ailments included wrist soreness, an ankle sprain and back tightness. —Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 May 2026

This could help explain why hormonal birth control is so often prescribed for dozens of ailments—including painful periods, fibroids, and PCOS—that have few other effective treatments. —Andréa Becker, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026

Plus, the sandals have a thick leather strap that provides a pillowy cushion around the top of the foot, which is helpful for anyone with foot ailments. —Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

ail entry 1 + -ment

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ailment

• bailment
• curtailment
• derailment
• entailment

Kids Definition

ailment

noun

ail·​ment ˈāl-mənt 

: a bodily disorder : sickness

Medical Definition

ailment

noun

ail·​ment ˈā(ə)l-mənt 

: a bodily disorder or chronic disease