Meaning & use
ail
To cause pain, discomfort, or trouble to someone, especially due to illness.
See it in a sentence
The doctor asked what seemed to be ailing him before running any tests.
Rising costs and staff shortages continue to ail the struggling hospital system.
A note on using this word
Ail is somewhat old-fashioned in everyday speech but survives in the common phrase what ails you.
Words with a similar meaning
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Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
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