under the weather

7 synonyms and 2 antonyms for under the weather, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Idiom — Slightly ill or not feeling your usual self.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

poorly

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

off colour out of sorts unwell peaky hungover worse for wear

Synonyms by Meaning

1. idiom informal

Slightly ill or not feeling your usual self.

“I'm a bit under the weather today, so I'll join the meeting by phone.”

poorly off colour out of sorts unwell peaky

Opposites

fighting fit in good health

2. idiom informal, euphemistic

Suffering the after-effects of drinking too much alcohol.

“Half the office was distinctly under the weather the morning after the party.”

hungover worse for wear

How to use under the weather

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

feeling under the weather a bit under the weather still under the weather

Informal but perfectly acceptable in workplace email; it is a polite way of not going into detail.

Etymology

From under the weather bow (“affected by bad weather; seasick”); weather bow is a nautical term referring to the side of a ship exposed to bad weather.

Full origin of under the weather →

Frequently asked questions

What does 'under the weather' mean exactly?

It means mildly unwell: a cold, a headache, general tiredness. It signals something minor and temporary, so it would be odd to use it about a serious illness such as pneumonia.

Where does the phrase 'under the weather' come from?

It is widely associated with sailing, where a seasick or ailing passenger would go below deck and out of the weather. The nautical link is plausible and often repeated, but the exact origin is not documented with certainty.

Is it polite to say you are under the weather at work?

Yes, and that is much of its usefulness. It excuses you without requiring you to describe symptoms, which is why it is so common in emails to a manager or a client.

People also searched

poorly peaky unwell hungover

Nearby words

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