Ail vs. Ill — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 17, 2024
"Ail" refers to suffering from an illness or problem, typically used as a verb, while "ill" describes the condition of being sick or unwell, used as an adjective.
Difference Between Ail and Ill
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Key Differences
Ail is primarily a verb that means to suffer from physical or mental unhealthiness. Whereas, ill is an adjective describing someone or something in poor health or exhibiting unfavorable conditions.
Ail is used to indicate that someone is experiencing difficulty or distress due to an illness or other problems. On the other hand, ill can describe not only health conditions but also poor quality or bad intentions, as in "ill feelings."
The term ail often appears in more formal or literary contexts, suggesting a somewhat archaic or formal tone. In contrast, ill is widely used in everyday language, making it more familiar and broadly understood.
Ail implies an ongoing condition affecting one's well-being. Whereas, ill can be used more broadly to describe temporary conditions, long-term health issues, or even unfavorable circumstances beyond just health.
When someone uses ail, it usually focuses on the process or state of suffering. On the other hand, ill, when used, often focuses on the state itself, without implying a dynamic process.
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Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Verb
Adjective
Usage Context
Formal, literary
Common, everyday language
Focus
Process of suffering
State of being in poor condition
Application
Specific to health problems
Broad, includes moral, health, or general quality
Tone
Slightly archaic or formal
Neutral, widely used
Compare with Definitions
Ail
To experience difficulty or discomfort.
He seemed to ail more during the cold seasons.
Ill
Expressing hostility or malign intent.
He spoke ill of his colleagues.
Ail
To cause trouble or affliction.
What ails him is not clear yet.
Ill
In poor health; sick.
He is too ill to come to work today.
Ail
To feel unwell or in pain.
A number of workers started to ail due to poor working conditions.
Ill
Having bad quality; poor.
The play received reviews describing it as ill-conceived.
Ail
To be ill or have ill health.
My grandmother has been ailing recently.
Ill
Unfavorably or unfortunately.
The project was ill-timed, coinciding with the financial downturn.
Ail
To suffer from a disease.
She has been ailing for a long time.
Ill
Marked by evil or misfortune.
Ill fortune seemed to follow him wherever he went.
Ail
To feel ill or have pain
Has been ailing for weeks.
Ill
Suffering from an illness or disease or feeling unwell
He was taken ill with food poisoning
Even the seriously ill cannot get tests done immediately
A terminally ill patient
Ail
To cause physical or mental pain or uneasiness to; trouble.
Ill
Poor in quality
Ill judgement dogs the unsuccessful
Ail
(transitive) To cause to suffer; to trouble, afflict. (Now chiefly in interrogative or indefinite constructions.)
Have some chicken soup. It's good for what ails you.
Ill
Badly, wrongly, or imperfectly
The street is dominated by ill-lit shops
It ill becomes one so beautiful to be gloomy
Ail
(intransitive) To be ill; to suffer; to be troubled.
Ill
Only with difficulty; hardly
She could ill afford the cost of new curtains
Ail
(obsolete) An ailment; trouble; illness.
Ill
A problem or misfortune
A lengthy work on the ills of society
Ail
The awn of barley or other types of corn.
Ill
Not healthy; sick
I began to feel ill last week.
Ail
(obsolete) Painful; troublesome.
Ill
Not normal; unsound
An ill condition of body and mind.
Ail
To affect with pain or uneasiness, either physical or mental; to trouble; to be the matter with; - used to express some uneasiness or affection, whose cause is unknown; as, what ails the man? I know not what ails him.
What aileth thee, Hagar?
Ill
Resulting in suffering; harmful or distressing
The ill effects of a misconceived policy.
Ail
To be affected with pain or uneasiness of any sort; to be ill or indisposed or in trouble.
When he ails ever so little . . . he is so peevish.
Ill
Resulting from or suggestive of evil intentions
Ill deeds committed out of spite.
Ail
Indisposition or morbid affection.
Ill
Ascribing an objectionable quality
Holds an ill view of that political group.
Ail
Aromatic bulb used as seasoning
Ill
Hostile or unfriendly
Ill feeling between rivals.
Ail
Be unwell, ill, or ill disposed
Ill
Harmful; pernicious
The ill effects of a misconceived policy.
Ail
Cause bodily suffering to
Ill
Not favorable; unpropitious
Ill predictions.
Ill
Not measuring up to recognized standards of excellence, as of behavior or conduct
Ill manners.
Ill
(Slang) Excellent; outstanding
Your new car is really ill!.
Ill
In a bad, inadequate, or improper way. Often used in combination
My words were ill-chosen.
Ill
In an unfavorable way; unpropitiously
A statistic that bodes ill for job growth.
Ill
Scarcely or with difficulty
We can ill afford another mistake.
Ill
Evil, wrongdoing, or harm
The ill that befell the townspeople.
Ill
Something that causes suffering; trouble
The social ills of urban life.
Ill
Something that reflects in an unfavorable way on one
Please don't speak ill of me when I'm gone.
Ill
(used with a pl. verb) Sick people considered as a group. Often used with the.
Ill
(obsolete) Evil; wicked (of people).
Ill
(archaic) Morally reprehensible (of behaviour etc.); blameworthy.
Ill
Indicative of unkind or malevolent intentions; harsh, cruel.
He suffered from ill treatment.
Ill
Unpropitious, unkind, faulty, not up to reasonable standard.
Ill manners; ill will
Ill
Unwell in terms of health or physical condition; sick.
Mentally ill people.
I've been ill with the flu for the past few days.
Ill
Having an urge to vomit.
Seeing those pictures made me ill.
Ill
(hip-hop slang) Sublime, with the connotation of being so in a singularly creative way.
Ill
(slang) Extremely bad (bad enough to make one ill). Generally used indirectly with to be.
That band was ill.
Ill
(dated) Unwise; not a good idea.
Ill
Not well; imperfectly, badly
Ill
(often pluralized) Trouble; distress; misfortune; adversity.
Music won't solve all the world's ills, but it can make them easier to bear.
Ill
Harm or injury.
I wouldn't want you to do me ill.
Ill
Evil; moral wrongfulness.
Ill
A physical ailment; an illness.
I am incapacitated by rheumatism and other ills.
Ill
PCP, phencyclidine.
Ill
To behave aggressively.
Ill
Contrary to good, in a physical sense; contrary or opposed to advantage, happiness, etc.; bad; evil; unfortunate; disagreeable; unfavorable.
Neither is it ill air only that maketh an ill seat, but ill ways, ill markets, and ill neighbors.
There 's some ill planet reigns.
Ill
Contrary to good, in a moral sense; evil; wicked; wrong; iniquitious; naughtly; bad; improper.
Of his own body he was ill, and gaveThe clergy ill example.
Ill
Sick; indisposed; unwell; diseased; disordered; as, ill of a fever.
I am in health, I breathe, and see thee ill.
Ill
Not according with rule, fitness, or propriety; incorrect; rude; unpolished; inelegant.
That 's an ill phrase.
Ill
Whatever annoys or impairs happiness, or prevents success; evil of any kind; misfortune; calamity; disease; pain; as, the ills of humanity.
Who can all sense of others' ills escapeIs but a brute at best in human shape.
That makes us rather bear those ills we haveThan fly to others that we know not of.
Ill
Whatever is contrary to good, in a moral sense; wickedness; depravity; iniquity; wrong; evil.
Strong virtue, like strong nature, struggles still,Exerts itself, and then throws off the ill.
Ill
In a ill manner; badly; weakly.
How ill this taper burns!
Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,Where wealth accumulates and men decay.
Ill
An often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
Ill
Not in good physical or mental health;
Ill from the monotony of his suffering
Ill
Resulting in suffering or adversity;
Ill effects
It's an ill wind that blows no good
Ill
Distressing;
Ill manners
Of ill repute
Ill
Indicating hostility or enmity;
You certainly did me an ill turn
Ill feelings
Ill will
Ill
Presaging ill-fortune;
Ill omens
Ill predictions
My words with inauspicious thunderings shook heaven
A dead and ominous silence prevailed
A by-election at a time highly unpropitious for the Government
Ill
(`ill' is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well;
He was ill prepared
It ill befits a man to betray old friends
The car runs badly
He performed badly on the exam
The team played poorly
Ill-fitting clothes
An ill-conceived plan
Ill
Unfavorably or with disapproval;
Tried not to speak ill of the dead
Thought badly of him for his lack of concern
Ill
With difficulty or inconvenience; scarcely or hardly;
We can ill afford to buy a new car just now
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to ail someone?
To ail someone means to cause them to suffer from an illness or problem.
Is ill always related to health issues?
Ill can describe health issues, but it can also refer to poor quality, bad intentions, or unfortunate circumstances.
Is there a noun form of ail?
The noun form of ail is ailment, referring to a disease or disorder.
Which is more formal, ail or ill?
Ail tends to have a more formal or literary tone compared to the more commonly used ill.
How is the term ail typically used in sentences?
Ail is often used to express that someone suffers from a specific condition, focusing on the action of suffering.
How does ill differ from ail in usage?
Ill is an adjective describing poor conditions, while ail is a verb focusing on the experience of distress or illness.
Can ail be used as an adjective?
Ail is not commonly used as an adjective; its primary use is as a verb.
Can ill be used in a positive context?
Ill is generally used in negative contexts, though it can appear in neutral settings depending on the phrase.
What kind of conditions can be described as ill?
Conditions ranging from physical health to moral quality or situational outcomes can be described as ill.
How do medical professionals typically use these terms?
Medical professionals might use ail to describe a patient's general suffering, while ill is used to specify the patient's current health condition.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
