sick

1 of 2

adjective

ˈsik 

sicker; sickest

1

a(1)

: affected with disease or ill health : ailing

(2)

: of, relating to, or intended for use in sickness

took five sick days this month

a sick ward

b

: queasy, nauseated

sick to one's stomach

was sick in the car

c

: undergoing menstruation

2

: spiritually or morally unsound or corrupt

3

a

: sickened by strong emotion

sick with fear

worried sick

b

: having a strong distaste from surfeit : satiated

sick of flattery

c

: filled with disgust or chagrin

gossip makes me sick

d

: depressed and longing for something

sick for one's home

4

a

: mentally or emotionally unsound or disordered : morbid

sick thoughts

b

: highly distasteful : macabre, sadistic

sick jokes

a sick crime

5

: lacking vigor : sickly: such as

a

: badly outclassed

made the competition look sick

b

: incapable of producing profitable yields of a crop

sick soils

6

slang : outstandingly or amazingly good or impressive

Rookie was phenomenal Friday. His goal was nice, but the pass to twin brother, Chris, … was downright sick.

—Roy Lang III

sick

2 of 2

noun

British

: vomit sense 1

Synonyms

Adjective

• poorly
• ill
• bad
• down
• unwell
• dizzy

Examples of sick in a Sentence

Adjective

He is at home sick in bed.

She is sick with the flu.

I'm too sick to go to work.

The medicine just made me sicker.

The sickest patients are in intensive care.

My poor rosebush looks sick.

She has been on the sick list all week.

The way they treat people makes me sick.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 July 2025

Alaska, Michigan, and Maine are among the latest states with paid sick or family leave laws on the books. —Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025

In October 2023, after two years of no dating — preoccupied caring for her sick parents and recovering from a difficult break-up — Shirley Williams, 39, implemented a new strategy to find her husband. —Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025

My family had to make very hard decisions about filling prescriptions after my dad got sick and lost his insurance or putting food on the table. —Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English sek, sik, from Old English sēoc; akin to Old High German sioh sick

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun

1957, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sick

• anointing of the sick
• (as) sick as a dog
• be sick
• call in sick
• fall sick
• feel sick
• going to be sick
• makes me sick to my stomach
• off sick
• one sick puppy
• out sick
• rang in sick
• report sick
• sick and tired
• sick as a dog
• sick at heart
• sick bay
• sick building syndrome
• sick call
• sick day
• sick headache
• sick leave
• sick-out
• sick pay
• sick time
• sick to one's stomach
• sick up
• sick with worry
• take sick
• the sick
• the sick and dying
• worried sick
• worry (oneself) sick

Rhymes for sick

• bick
• brick
• chick
• click
• fick
• flick
• hick
• kick
• knick
• lick
• mic
• nick

Kids Definition

sick

adjective

ˈsik

1

a

: affected with disease or ill health

b

: of, relating to, or intended for use in sickness

sick pay

a sick ward

c

: affected with or accompanied by nausea : queasy sense 1

felt sick to her stomach

2

a

: badly upset by strong emotion

sick with shame

worried sick

b

: tired of something from having too much of it

sick of their whining

c

: filled with disgust

such gossip makes me sick

3

: mentally or emotionally unsound or disturbed

sick thoughts

Medical Definition

sick

adjective

ˈsik 

1

a

: affected with disease or ill health

b

: of, relating to, or intended for use in sickness

a sick ward

c

: affected with nausea : inclined to vomit or being in the act of vomiting

sick to one's stomach

was sick in the car

2

: mentally or emotionally unsound or disordered