sicker

adjective

sick·​er ˈsi-kər How to pronounce sicker (audio)
chiefly Scotland
: secure, safe
also : dependable
sicker adverb chiefly Scotland
sickerly adverb chiefly Scotland

Examples of sicker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those people are likely to be relatively young and healthy, leaving a pool of sicker, more expensive patients — leading to even higher premiums in subsequent years. Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025 This would create an adverse selection problem—leaving a riskier, potentially sicker population in the insured pool—which could further drive up medical costs for ACA plans and erode Centene’s margins. Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025 That leaves a higher concentration of sicker patients who generate claims. Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025 Since 2021, their award-winning Hospital at Home program has cared for more than 3,400 patients—freeing up more than 17,500 beds for sicker patients and saving the hospital more than $17 million. Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sicker

Word History

Etymology

Middle English siker, from Old English sicor, from Latin securus secure

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sicker was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Sicker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sicker. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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