adj Uncommon

sickening

SIHK-nihng

Sickening (adj) means causing disgust, nausea, or revulsion. Example: “There was a sickening crunch as the car hit the barrier.”

adj

Causing disgust, nausea, or revulsion.

"There was a sickening crunch as the car hit the barrier."

"The smell from the drains was truly sickening."

Informal: extremely impressive, in a way that provokes envy.

"She has a sickening amount of natural talent."

How to use sickening

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSo disgusting (or, informally, so impressively good) that it turns your stomach.

Common pairings

a sickening thud sickening violence

Word forms

more sickening comparative, sickenings plural, most sickening superlative

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There was a _____ crunch as the car hit the barrier.

Etymology

Formed from "sicken" plus the "-ing" ending.

Rhymes for sickening

evening opening widening awakening happening weakening deafening maddening listening gardening fattening screening

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Frequently asked questions

What does “sickening” mean?

The word “sickening” means causing disgust, nausea, or revulsion. In plain terms, so disgusting (or, informally, so impressively good) that it turns your stomach.

How do you pronounce “sickening”?

“Sickening” is pronounced SIHK-nihng (/ˈsɪk(ə)nɪŋ/ in IPA).

How do you use “sickening” in a sentence?

Here is “sickening” used in a sentence: “There was a sickening crunch as the car hit the barrier.”

What part of speech is “sickening”?

“Sickening” is an adjective.

Is “sickening” a common word?

“Sickening” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “sickening” have?

“Sickening” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: causing disgust, nausea, or revulsion.