AILED Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

ailed

verb

past tense of ail

as in bothered

to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy parents who were at a loss to explain what was ailing their normally vivacious daughter

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Recent Examples of ailed The pics included a sweet snap of Harry kissing Lili, setting up a game of archery balloons with Archie and driving his kids on an all-terrain vehicle while being ailed by the family’s Labrador retriever, Pula. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026 Because for all else that ailed the Chiefs last year, a common denominator was the loss of that certain something that starts with discipline and an edge. — Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026 Whatever ailed this World Cup, the beautiful game was waiting with its healing powers. — Miami Herald, 12 July 2026 Shingles, folliculitis, and COVID-19 also ailed her during this time. — David Oliver, USA Today, 8 June 2026 The tweaks should fix much of what has long ailed it. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2026 With none of the colonialist baggage associated with the two European superpowers, America was turned to, almost as a last resort, to fix what ailed Iran. — Daniel Thomas Potts, The Conversation, 30 Mar. 2026 That struggling Cincinnati defense has been the cure-all for anything that has ailed the Steelers’ offense in recent years. — Mike Defabo, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025 Most important, he’s been mentioned by Timberwolves coach Chris Finch as a solution for much of what has ailed Minnesota in the past. — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ailed

Verb

This is a dense picture—there’s almost too much to unpack, if you can be bothered to care about any of it.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Being different has never bothered Dublin coach Roger Holmes.

— Jack Leo, AJC.com, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of bothered

Verb

The symptom that alarmed me most in that moment was the progressive skin wrinkling in some NCBRS teens.

— Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Those moves have alarmed Japan, whose economy is dependent for its survival on open sea lines and which recently has been embroiled in a spat with China over remarks that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made about Taiwan.

— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of alarmed

Verb

As one of the most effective natural sinks for carbon, peatlands could accelerate climate change if disturbed.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
She was especially disturbed by the emotional vulnerability that someone could exploit when a person believes a relationship is genuine.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of disturbed

Verb

And not be distracted by whether or not Ed Sheeran is crying today or crying tomorrow.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
But she, and New York Times journalists observing the raid, were soon distracted by a group of cockroaches scurrying past an oil canister.

— Zishaan a Latif, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of distracted

Verb

More than half of people using AI at work worried that using it on important tasks would create exactly that impression.

— Christoph Trattner, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
At the very start of the pandemic, while most Americans were hunkered down, frightened for their lives and worried about job loss, RealPage hosted a virtual pep talk for landlords.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of worried

Verb

Speculation and conspiracy theories have plagued Kirk’s death, fueled even by public figures such as Candace Owens, a longtime friend of Kirk, who has been outspoken about her belief that his death was orchestrated in an elaborate plot.

— Mackenzie Chase, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
Hoover’s replacement has thus far been a miss, and the problem that plagued this program in losses in each of the last two years has not changed.

— Mac Engel October 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of plagued

Verb

Democracies across the world have been unsettled by social media personalities.

— Terrence McCoy, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026
Todd also mentioned feeling shut out from Grace’s thoughts and decision-making process; of course he’s been unsettled and worried as well as resentful.

— Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of unsettled

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“Ailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ailed. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of ailed

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