unwell

adjective

un·​well ˌən-ˈwel How to pronounce unwell (audio)
1
: being in poor health : ailing, sick
2
: undergoing menstruation

Examples of unwell in a Sentence

Miss Bennett, are you unwell? I am sorry she is feeling unwell.
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.
Hamida next interacts with Taro, an unwell Hindu woman forced into prostitution by her husband, who is himself preoccupied with his mistress. JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025 The first sign of the disease is usually a fever, followed by a sore throat and a general feeling of being unwell. Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025 No one wants to pressurise a woman who is unwell into doing something which could well make matters worse. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025 At just 5 weeks old and weighing just over 4 pounds, Lilly was lethargic, withdrawn and appeared seriously unwell. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unwell

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unwell was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unwell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unwell. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

unwell

adjective
un·​well ˌən-ˈwel How to pronounce unwell (audio)
ˈən-
: being in poor health : ailing, sick

Medical Definition

unwell

adjective
un·​well -ˈwel How to pronounce unwell (audio)
: being in poor health : sick

More from Merriam-Webster on unwell

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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