allergic
uh-LUR-jihk
Allergic (adjective) means having an allergy to something; reacting badly to a particular substance. Example: “My brother is allergic to cats, so we cannot keep one at home.”
adjective
1
Having an allergy to something; reacting badly to a particular substance.
"My brother is allergic to cats, so we cannot keep one at home."
"She is allergic to peanuts and always checks food labels."
"He came out in a rash because he's allergic to the cream."
2
Strongly averse to something, used humorously or figuratively.
"My teenage son is allergic to early mornings and never gets up before ten."
"Our manager seems allergic to answering emails, however urgent they are."
"He seems allergic to hard work."
How to use allergic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHaving a bad physical reaction to something, or (informally) having a strong dislike of something.
Common pairings
allergic to
allergic reaction
allergic to nuts
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Word forms
- Plural
- allergics
- Comparative
- more allergic
- Superlative
- most allergic
Fill the gap
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My brother is _____ to cats, so we cannot keep one at home.
Synonyms
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sensitive
hypersensitive
susceptible
intolerant
averse
reactive
hypersensitized
supersensitive
sensitised
supersensitised
sensitized
hypersensitised
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “allergic” mean?
The word “allergic” means having an allergy to something; reacting badly to a particular substance. In plain terms, having a bad physical reaction to something, or (informally) having a strong dislike of something.
How do you pronounce “allergic”?
“Allergic” is pronounced uh-LUR-jihk (/əˈlɝ.d͡ʒɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “allergic” in a sentence?
Here is “allergic” used in a sentence: “She is allergic to peanuts and always checks food labels.”
What part of speech is “allergic”?
“Allergic” is an adjective.
Is “allergic” a common word?
“Allergic” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “allergic” have?
“Allergic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having an allergy to something; reacting badly to a particular substance.
What preposition follows "allergic" — "allergic to" or "allergic of"?
"Allergic" is always followed by "to," as in "allergic to peanuts" or "allergic to cats." "Allergic of" is a common mistake and is not standard English.
Can "allergic" be used figuratively, outside of medical contexts?
Yes. "Allergic" is often used humorously to mean strongly averse to something, as in "he's allergic to hard work." This figurative use keeps the same "allergic to" structure but doesn't describe a real physical reaction.
What is the difference between "allergic" and "sensitive"?
"Allergic" specifically describes the body's immune reaction to a substance, such as pollen or a food. "Sensitive" is broader and can describe mild discomfort or intolerance without an actual allergic reaction, so the two are related but not interchangeable.
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