sic

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adverb

ˈsik  ˈsēk 

: intentionally so written

—used after a printed word or passage to indicate that it is intended exactly as printed or to indicate that it exactly reproduces an original

said he seed [sic] it all

sic

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verb

ˈsik 

variants or less commonly sick

sicced also sicked ˈsikt  ; siccing also sicking

transitive verb

1

: chase, attack

—usually used as a command especially to a dog

sic 'em

2

: to incite or urge to an attack, pursuit, or harassment : set

sicced their lawyers on me

sic

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ˈsik 

chiefly Scottish variant of such

sick

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adjective

ˈsik 

sicker; sickest

1

a(1)

: affected with disease or ill health : ailing

(2)

: of, relating to, or intended for use in sickness

took five sick days this month

a sick ward

b

: queasy, nauseated

sick to one's stomach

was sick in the car

c

: undergoing menstruation

2

: spiritually or morally unsound or corrupt

3

a

: sickened by strong emotion

sick with fear

worried sick

b

: having a strong distaste from surfeit : satiated

sick of flattery

c

: filled with disgust or chagrin

gossip makes me sick

d

: depressed and longing for something

sick for one's home

4

a

: mentally or emotionally unsound or disordered : morbid

sick thoughts

b

: highly distasteful : macabre, sadistic

sick jokes

a sick crime

5

: lacking vigor : sickly: such as

a

: badly outclassed

made the competition look sick

b

: incapable of producing profitable yields of a crop

sick soils

6

slang : outstandingly or amazingly good or impressive

Rookie was phenomenal Friday. His goal was nice, but the pass to twin brother, Chris, … was downright sick.

—Roy Lang III

sick

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noun

British

: vomit sense 1

Did you know?

The adverb sic, usually enclosed in brackets, is a word editors use in the reproduction of someone else's speech or writing to indicate that an unexpected form exactly reproduces the original and is not a copier's mistake. Sic comes from Latin, in which it means "so" or "thus." Though it's a useful tool, some usage commentators feel it is bad manners to use a sic to needlessly call attention to someone's error or to deride the language of a less-educated person.

Synonyms of sic

Verb

• attack
• assault
• raid
• storm
• strike
• rob
• ambush

Adjective

• poorly
• ill
• bad
• down
• unwell
• dizzy

Examples of sic in a Sentence

Verb

commanded the attack dogs to "sic 'em"

Adjective

He is at home sick in bed.

She is sick with the flu.

I'm too sick to go to work.

The medicine just made me sicker.

The sickest patients are in intensive care.

My poor rosebush looks sick.

She has been on the sick list all week.

The way they treat people makes me sick.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Travel has been steep do (sic) to last minute airfares this time. —Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 17 May 2026

Who trades their future away for Ivan [sic] Zubac??? —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026

Adjective

Since 2021, Gillespie said only one employee in the Sheriff’s Office has adjusted their timekeeping practices to document sick or vacation time. —Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 June 2026

Locals often build up some tolerance to these water contaminants, but visitors haven’t, so a glass a resident drinks safely can leave a traveler sick for days. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Latin, so, thus — more at so

Verb

alteration of seek

Adjective

Middle English sek, sik, from Old English sēoc; akin to Old High German sioh sick

First Known Use

Adverb

circa 1859, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

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

Noun

1957, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sic

• sic passim
• sic (something) on (someone or something)

Rhymes for sic

• bick
• brick
• chick
• click
• fick
• flick
• hick
• kick
• knick
• lick
• mic
• nick

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