sickening 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsi-kə-niŋ How to pronounce sickening (audio)
Definition of sickeningnext
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment a sickening display of emotion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sickening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sicken
as in appalling
to cause to feel disgust sickened by the awful sight of the polluted river

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sickening
Adjective
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 The concept of this many women vying for West is somewhat sickening to me. — Emma Specter, Vogue, 27 May 2026
Verb
Sugar water can spoil, sickening the little birds. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026 Yet Bragg couldn’t tell the parent just how severely ill their fellow South Carolinians were getting from the outbreak sickening people around them. — Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 20 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sickening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickening
  1. disgusting
  2. appalling
  3. horrible
  4. repulsing
  5. awful
  6. horrifying
  7. shocking
  8. ugly
Adjective
  • To interrogate Fauci now, for absolutely no coherent reason and completely without sense, is shameful and disgusting.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The left's most hated author — JK Rowling — has dropped the hammer on the disgusting things that took place at the Indiana Fever-Seattle Storm game earlier this week.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of disgusting
Verb
  • The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
  • Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026
Definition of appalling
Adjective
  • But the Chinese way will cause a proliferation of talent, usage, data—until something horrible happens.
    — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Badgers have had horrible injury luck, which has led to bad QB play the past few years.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of horrible
Verb
  • While there are dismemberments and other bits of gruesome violence to be found in the film, Badlands is largely aimed at endearing its audience rather than repulsing them.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Definition of repulsing
Adjective
  • So kudos to the extras who steal scenes from them in the background, flailing like avant-garde dancers when a vicious mental parasite leaps from grandmothers to joggers to security guards on a quest to find something awful.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • The experts and the betting odds expect futility on the field, something close to awful.
    — Greg Cote July 27, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026
Definition of awful
Verb
  • The complications are horrifying doctors.
    — Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 24 June 2026
  • Following her rescue, horrifying details of what happened to Jaycee began to emerge.
    — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Definition of horrifying
Adjective
  • The shocking lack of answers does not appear to be for a lack of resources, rather it highlights perceived investigative missteps along the way.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The shocking report was nevertheless cheered by investors, who took the weakness in the labor market as a sign that the Federal Reserve won’t hike rates in September.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • But, at the heart of it is what appears to be a very ugly feud between two public servants.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Damage goes deep Friday’s loss followed a much uglier version of the same problem.
    — Tyler M. Carmona, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of ugly

Browse Nearby Words

sickened (with)
sickening
sickeningly
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Cite this Entry

“Sickening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickening. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of sickening for Spanish Speakers

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