1
as in frail
chronically or repeatedly suffering from poor health
a sickly foal that seemed to catch everything that the other horses had
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body
lungs scarred by years of exposure to the sickly air of the coal mines
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sickly
The sickly girl demands more time among the living.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
Séamus McLean Ross costars on Blood of My Blood as a young Colum MacKenzie, the sickly brother of Ellen and Dougal, who goes on to become laird of the clan.
—EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
In inspecting the property, the officers found a sickly Honey infested with lice.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025
Once infected, the plant will become sickly and die within 3-5 years.
—Laura Simpson, Oc Register, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sickly
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
Séamus McLean Ross costars on Blood of My Blood as a young Colum MacKenzie, the sickly brother of Ellen and Dougal, who goes on to become laird of the clan.
—EW.com, 8 Aug. 2025
In inspecting the property, the officers found a sickly Honey infested with lice.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 8 Aug. 2025
Once infected, the plant will become sickly and die within 3-5 years.
—Laura Simpson, Oc Register, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sickly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickly
Adjective
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Talking to Bill Nighy about his star turn as a frail and at times broken novelist in & Sons is rather hampered by the British actor not having seen director Pablo Trapero’s father-and-son drama on a screen of any size ahead of its world premiere on Sunday at the Toronto Film Festival.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
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Continue reading … MOUNTING AILMENTS – Biden undergoes surgery for skin cancer as frail appearance fuels new questions.—
,
FOXNews.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The other problem is that many homes have more poisonous substances easily available than in the past, Willard said.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
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Erin Patterson, who murdered three relatives with poisonous mushrooms, has been given a life prison sentence by the supreme court in Australia.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The institutions of the new democracy were fragile, and the military still wielded enough influence to block meaningful accountability.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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The gown has since become too fragile to showcase and doesn’t leave the museum.—
Ariana Quihuiz,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Wilson and Webbon told USA TODAY that scripture provides safeguards against toxic behavior.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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An alkaline compound, baking soda is a non-toxic cleaner with a coarseness that works wonders for scrubbing grime, removing difficult stains, and deodorizing stinky odors.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But many Americans who don't meet the new criteria do still want to get vaccinated to avoid getting sick or spreading the virus to vulnerable family members.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
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Harry, who served in the British Armed Forces for 10 years, launched The Invictus Games in London in 2014 to honor active duty and veteran service members who have been wounded, injured or sick on the job.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
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Health professionals encourage people to use lean cuts of meat because most of the fat in animal products is unhealthful saturated fat, which can raise the risk of heart disease and cancer.—
Bethany Thayer,
Detroit Free Press,
22 June 2024
Adjective
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The ultrarich formula uses amino acids to reinforce weak strands, glycerin to hydrate and soften, silicones to smooth the cuticle, and coconut oil to add more moisture and shine.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
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China’s economy showed further signs of weakness last month, with key data Monday revealing factory output and consumption rising at their weakest pace for around a year.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Millions of people are denied that freedom every day—not by weak willpower, but by a system designed to make unhealthy living the default.—
William Warr,
Time,
15 Sep. 2025
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In these homes, the conflict between budgeting and feeding kids well creates huge psychological stress for parents, which can lead to anxiety and depression, fueling the vicious cycle of stress and unhealthy eating, Beresin said.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickly. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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