1
as in frail
chronically or repeatedly suffering from poor health
a sickly foal that seemed to catch everything that the other horses had
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sickly
Planting too early in the season when the soil is cool might result in a sickly plant all season long or seeds that won't germinate.
—
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
Cupid and Psyche 85, in its sickly plastic way, is a profoundly uplifting record.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Cathy is raised by her father, Edgar, and goes on to marry Heathcliff’s sickly son, Linton, who dies shortly after their wedding.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
The man from the future drives his dwindling crew onward to face the final challenge, involving yet another sickly looking child (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt) who’s had way too much screen time and now holds the fate of the world in his keyboard-friendly fingertips.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sickly
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
Cupid and Psyche 85, in its sickly plastic way, is a profoundly uplifting record.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Cathy is raised by her father, Edgar, and goes on to marry Heathcliff’s sickly son, Linton, who dies shortly after their wedding.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
The man from the future drives his dwindling crew onward to face the final challenge, involving yet another sickly looking child (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt) who’s had way too much screen time and now holds the fate of the world in his keyboard-friendly fingertips.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sickly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickly
Adjective
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For all its public association with queerness, ballet remains largely committed to a frail, wispy femininity and a princely but muscular and explosive masculinity—with the stringent, often punishing body-shape standards to match.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
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Over time in 2025, Chandler and Webster said Acacio had started to appear frail and thin.—
Nathaniel Percy,
Oc Register,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Trump’s populist allies have learned that their most poisonous ideas have a potent audience.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Here’s a guide to nine common indoor plants that are poisonous to pets, along with the symptoms every pet owner should recognize.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Hezbollah entered the war on March 2 with a barrage of missiles against Israel, breaking the fragile November 2024 ceasefire.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
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DiMarco is a perfect fit as the besotted but fragile boy-man groom while Jason Leigh interjects hazy weirdness while Levine, Wilbusch, Birney, Crome and Fraser keep our suspicions about them on high.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Researchers have found that athletes experience emotional abuse — a toxic pattern of verbal attacks, manipulation and/or controlling actions — more than any other form of harm.—
Julia Haney,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2026
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In short, many regions in Los Angeles County and all across Southern California have been dealing with lead and other toxic metals in their soil for years, even decades, that are not sourced from fires.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The indictment says one customer paid $10,000 in vet bills after buying sick German Shepherds.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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The move comes as air travelers are experiencing longer security lines and a growing number of TSA agents are quitting or calling in sick.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
9 Feb. 2026
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The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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An atmospheric river should track across California, even into southern California, by Tuesday, March 31, but is currently forecast to remain too weak to cause flooding issues, the WPC said.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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At the hospital in Dollow, mothers sat shoulder to shoulder on narrow beds holding frail children, some too weak to cry while others let out soft whimpers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Stage 2, very unhealthy — keep the kids inside.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile, OpenAI is also facing lawsuits for encouraging unhealthy conversations on ChatGPT.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickly. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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