sickness

noun

sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs 

1

a

: ill health : illness

b

: a disordered, weakened, or unsound condition

2

: a specific disease

3

: nausea, queasiness

Synonyms

• illness
• indisposition
• unhealthiness
• unsoundness

Examples of sickness in a Sentence

He died from an unknown sickness.

she was plagued by sickness most of her adult life

Recent Examples on the Web

Stewart blamed a lingering sickness for the cancellation. —Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2025

Women patients and doctors, including New York City physician Grace Peckham, successfully argued that the rest cure was not only quack medicine but more harmful to patients than the nervous sickness itself. —Time, 3 June 2025

That’s happening now… In America, the richest men are taking satisfaction in abandoning the world’s poorest children to sickness and death. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 May 2025

Fill-in moderator Joy Behar took over for Goldberg on Wednesday's telecast, which Goldberg missed due to her sickness. —Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 15 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sickness

• acute mountain sickness
• African sleeping sickness
• altitude sickness
• decompression sickness
• milk sickness
• morning sickness
• motion sickness
• mountain sickness
• radiation sickness
• serum sickness
• sickness benefit
• sleeping sickness
• travel sickness

Rhymes for sickness

• quickness
• thickness
• homesickness
• seasickness

Kids Definition

sickness

noun

sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs 

1

: ill health : illness

2

: a specific disease : malady

3

: nausea sense 1

Medical Definition

sickness

noun

sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs 

1

: the condition of being ill : ill health

2

: a specific disease

3

: nausea