sick
SIHK
Sick (adj) means Unwell; suffering from an illness. Example: “I was too sick to go to work, so I stayed in bed.”
adj
1
Unwell; suffering from an illness.
"I was too sick to go to work, so I stayed in bed."
"He stayed home from school because he felt sick."
"She looked after her sick grandmother all weekend."
2
Feeling nauseous, like you might vomit.
"Reading in the back of the car always makes me feel sick."
"The smell from the bin was so awful that it made her sick."
"The boat ride left half the passengers feeling sick."
3
Fed up with or tired of something that has gone on too long, usually as "sick of".
"She is sick of waiting for the bus in the rain every morning."
"We are all sick and tired of the constant noise from next door."
"I'm sick of hearing the same excuse every week."
4
Slang: extremely impressive or excellent.
"Did you hear their new song? It's absolutely sick!"
"My brother thinks your new bike is sick, and he wants one too."
"That skateboard trick was sick."
verb
1
To vomit, often phrased as "be sick".
"The baby was sick all over my shirt just before we left."
"If you feel you might be sick, tell me and I will stop the car."
"The dog was sick on the carpet after eating too fast."
How to use sick
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIll, or, informally, so impressive it's amazing.
Common mistake
"Be sick" in British English usually means to vomit, while American English more often uses "sick" alone to mean generally unwell — context still matters in both.
When to use it
The "excellent" sense is casual slang — avoid it in formal writing.
Common pairings
feel sick
sick of something
call in sick
sick leave
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- sicks
- Past tense
- sicked
- Comparative
- sicker
- Superlative
- sickest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I was too _____ to go to work, so I stayed in bed.
Etymology
From Old English seoc ("ill"), from a Germanic root meaning to be troubled or afflicted. The slang sense meaning "excellent" is a much later flip, similar to how "wicked" and "terrific" also came to mean something positive.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for sick
See all rhymes for sick →Frequently asked questions
What does “sick” mean?
The word “sick” means unwell; suffering from an illness. In plain terms, ill, or, informally, so impressive it's amazing.
How do you pronounce “sick”?
“Sick” is pronounced SIHK (/ˈsɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “sick” in a sentence?
Here is “sick” used in a sentence: “He stayed home from school because he felt sick.”
What part of speech is “sick”?
Depending on how it is used, “sick” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “sick” come from?
The word “sick” comes from Old English.
Is “sick” a common word?
“Sick” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “sick” have?
“Sick” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: unwell; suffering from an illness.
What is the difference between sick and ill?
They overlap and are often interchangeable. In American English, 'sick' is the everyday word for being unwell. In British English, 'ill' usually means generally unwell, while 'sick' often specifically means nauseous or about to vomit. 'Ill' also sounds slightly more formal, so 'seriously ill' is more common than 'seriously sick' in careful writing.
Does 'sick' mean vomiting?
It can, especially in British English, where 'to be sick' commonly means to vomit and 'feeling sick' means nauseous. In American English, 'sick' more often just means unwell in general, and vomiting would be stated directly. Context and region decide: 'I was sick all night' may describe illness or vomiting depending on where it is said.
What does 'sick' mean in slang?
In informal, especially younger, speech, 'sick' is a term of strong approval meaning excellent, impressive, or cool — 'that trick was sick.' It is a positive reversal of the usual meaning, much as 'wicked' can mean great. Tone and context make it clear; no one confuses a 'sick skateboard trick' with illness.
What is the opposite of sick?
The natural opposites are 'well' and 'healthy,' both describing a body free of illness. 'Fine,' 'better,' and 'recovered' also work depending on the situation — 'better' and 'recovered' suggest returning to health after being unwell. Which fits best depends on whether you mean generally healthy or simply no longer sick.
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