as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
a sickening display of emotion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of sickening
Tara Suter, The Hill, 14 Dec. 2025
Earlier that day, a cousin and her friend had been out searching about half a mile from Makayla's house when they were stopped in their tracks by a strong, sickening odor.
—Liza Finley, CBS News, 16 Nov. 2025
Liz Szabo, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2025
The illness spreads through the tribe, sickening one of its leaders and creating division and disorder.
—Maggie Doherty, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sickening
Adjective
These sickening events have become far too normal in our world.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 14 Dec. 2025
Earlier that day, a cousin and her friend had been out searching about half a mile from Makayla's house when they were stopped in their tracks by a strong, sickening odor.
—Liza Finley, CBS News, 16 Nov. 2025
Verb
Flu season was particularly brutal last year, sickening at least 47 million Americans, hospitalizing 610,000 and killing 27,000, according to the CDC.
—Liz Szabo, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2025
The illness spreads through the tribe, sickening one of its leaders and creating division and disorder.
—Maggie Doherty, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sickening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickening
Adjective
-
The medical ordeals are traumatic and disgusting, but fascinating and full of the quirks of modern life.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Having snow, slush, and (eventually) water all over my floors was a disgusting feeling.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Truly appalling friend counsel here from Mindy.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Are there horrible smells wafting around?—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Jimmy Kimmel was horrible, and some of these people.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
6 Jan. 2026
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
Adjective
-
Kel’el was awful against Jay Huff in Indiana, and albeit in limited minutes, nonetheless had only one rebound at Oklahoma City.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2026
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One particularly awful story comes from an 81-year-old Alhambra widower who lost $720,000 to a cryptocurrency scam, her entire life savings.—
Caroline Melear,
Oc Register,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The visage, created by Universal Studio’s then-lead makeup artist Jack Pierce for the 1931 film, was horrifying enough that its influence endured for almost 100 years.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
17 Oct. 2025
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No special effects were required to trigger Curry's stark drift from amiability to horrifying emptiness.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The shocking decision sends ripples through the Washington program and the college football transfer portal.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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There are some great twists and turns leading to a shocking but very satisfying ending.—
Will Harris,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Not because the moms themselves are toxic people, but because the dynamic shifts into an ugly place with mean-girl behavior.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
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Many quite authentic Natives were targeted for banishment, and the ugly infighting their work inspired was covered widely—by the standards of Indian affairs—in the American media, which saw the battles as part of the larger identity wars raging across the nation in the new millennium.—
David Treuer,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sickening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickening. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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