sickening

adjective

sick·​en·​ing ˈsi-kə-niŋ 

ˈsik-niŋ

: causing sickness or disgust

a sickening odor

a sickening display

sickeningly

ˈsi-kə-niŋ-lē 

ˈsik-niŋ-

adverb

Synonyms of sickening

• disgusting
• horrible
• awful
• shocking
• ugly
• hideous
• obnoxious
• obscene
• offensive
• dreadful

Examples of sickening in a Sentence

a sickening display of selfishness

We heard the squeal of brakes and a sickening thud.

Recent Examples on the Web

To defile the legacy of his family and that family name is sickening, and turns my stomach. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026

The 2022 spill was the largest ever from the Keystone pipeline, killing or sickening 2,700 animals. — Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

But there are multiple Ebola strains, and those vaccines, treatments, and tests aren’t effective against the rarer strain, Bundibugyo, sickening people today. — Alice Park, Time, 2 July 2026

Toxic fumes are leaking into airplanes and sickening passengers and crew members at an alarming rate, according to a September 2025 report by The Wall Street Journal. — Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sickening

• be sickening for

Rhymes for sickening

• quickening
• thickening

Kids Definition

sickening

adjective

sick·​en·​ing

ˈsik-(ə-)niŋ

: causing sickness or disgust

a sickening sight

sickeningly adverb

Medical Definition

sickening

adjective

sick·​en·​ing ˈsik-(ə-)niŋ 

: causing sickness or nausea