SICKLY Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

sickly

adjective

ˈsi-klē

Definition of sickly

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

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

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 sickly The 2019 post on the notorious image board’s /x/ forum included a disquieting photo of an empty hallway bathed in sickly light. — Miles Klee, Wired News, 30 May 2026 First, the spots appear, then leaves yellow and fall off the plant, and your rose bush turns into a sickly collection of sticks with no flower buds in sight. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2026 If your once-vigorous plant is starting to look sickly, spider mites may be the culprits. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 19 May 2026 The sickly childhoods of children’s literature likely reflect a number of factors. — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sickly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickly

Adjective

In the last decade, Jackson has paid a Miami company more than $35 million to discharge mostly frail patients with nowhere to go into assisted living beds.

— Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Up there, the wind is your neighbor, whistling through the walls and frail window panes.

— Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of frail

Adjective

For this reason, these poisonous mushrooms are more commonly confused with other types of edible mushrooms like chicken of the woods and chanterelles (more on these in a minute).

— Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Aug. 2026
Perhaps ducks had been used as bio-processors, feeding on toads and metabolizing their poisonous compounds so that humans could safely consume them.

— Kimon de Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of poisonous

Adjective

Fiber-optic cables—the same technology that carries much of today’s internet traffic—can transmit fragile quantum information over long distances.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026
The country is mired in a war with Iran with no graceful exit opportunities; a new round of tariffs threatens to further disrupt fragile global trade relations; and the domestic economy faces inflation combined with paltry growth.

— Zachary Karabell, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of fragile

Adjective

But this type of [toxic] female figure is a widespread archetype even in other places and parts of the world.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Caused by a defective gene for an enzyme that breaks down the carbohydrate heparan sulfate, it is characterized by a buildup of toxic material in tissues, including brain cells.

— Mike McRae August 26, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of toxic

Adjective

Hospital executives have begun reporting more unpaid medical bills, and experts warn health plans will raise premiums further as they're left with enrollees who are, on average, sicker and more expensive to cover.

— Christine Mai-Duc, NPR, 23 Aug. 2026
When workers become sick, exhausted, or unable to work safely, productivity falls, disruptions increase, and supply chains become more vulnerable.

— Lucy Siers, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of sick

Adjective

Warnings of unhealthful air quality remained in effect Saturday across a wide swath of the United States due to smoke from Canadian wildfires that has engulfed the Northeast in haze for days.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026
The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.

— Joan Morris, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026

Definition of unhealthful

Adjective

The heat has caused a fall in nuclear generation, with power plants forced to shut down or reduce production across the region, while wind power generation has been weak over the summer.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
The state financial watchdog attributed the disbursement problems to administrative delays, weak project management, and late counterpart funding from the Congolese government.

— Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of weak

Adjective

Yet our tendency to use body mass as a convenient proxy for unhealthy weight gain may obfuscate the true risks – and even benefits – of being a little bigger.

— Mike McRae August 24, New Atlas, 24 Aug. 2026
Walking will also help regulate appetite and curb the urge to grab those unhealthy snacks between meals.

— Audrey Noble, Vogue, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of unhealthy

Browse Nearby Words

sickliness

sickly

sickness

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“Sickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickly. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sickly

adjective

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