sicken
C1Formal/Literary
Definition
Meaning
to become ill, or to cause someone to feel disgust or revulsion.
To begin to show symptoms of disease; to become deeply affected by something unpleasant to the point of feeling nauseated or emotionally distressed.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Most commonly used in two senses: 1) The literal process of falling ill (often progressive: 'sickening for something'). 2) A figurative, emotional reaction of strong disgust or aversion.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The progressive sense 'to be sickening for' (e.g., a cold) is more common in UK English. In US English, the figurative sense (to disgust) is predominant.
Connotations
UK: Often medical or predictive of illness. US: Overwhelmingly connotes moral or physical disgust.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK English, especially in the phrase 'sickening for something'. Less common in everyday US speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] __ (at NP/VP-ing)[NP] __ NP[NP] __ (of NP)[NP] __ (for NP)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sicken of something/someone”
- “sicken at the thought”
- “sicken for something (UK)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in ethics contexts: 'The corruption scandal sickened investors.'
Academic
Used in literary analysis, sociology, or medical history to describe emotional or physical decline.
Everyday
Most common in expressions of strong disgust: 'The cruelty of it sickens me.'
Technical
In medicine/epidemiology: 'The population began to sicken after exposure.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She's been off colour all week; I think she's sickening for something.
- The blatant hypocrisy sickened even his most loyal supporters.
- He eventually sickened of the constant media attention.
American English
- The graphic violence in the film sickened many viewers.
- I sicken at the very idea of such neglect.
- The whole community sickened after the water was contaminated.
adverb
British English
- The car spun sickeningly before hitting the barrier.
- Prices have risen sickeningly fast this year.
American English
- He was sickeningly sweet to his boss.
- The movie was sickeningly violent.
adjective
British English
- He had a sickening feeling he'd forgotten his passport.
- The ride was followed by a sickening drop.
- It was a sickening blow to the team's morale.
American English
- The sickening smell of decay filled the room.
- She felt a sickening lurch in her stomach.
- The news was met with sickening disappointment.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bad news made her feel sick.
- The smell of the rubbish was sickening.
- The unfairness of the situation sickened him.
- Many are sickening for the flu this winter.
- She sickened of the endless political manoeuvring and resigned.
- The dictator's atrocities sickened the international community.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SICK' is in the word. It either makes you SICK (disgusts you) or describes the process of becoming SICK.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISGUST IS A PHYSICAL SICKNESS / MORAL DECAY IS A DISEASE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'to be sick' (блевать). 'Sicken' is the process *leading to* illness or disgust. Do not use for temporary nausea. The adjective 'sickening' is more frequent than the verb.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'It sickens me to my stomach.' (Redundant) Correct: 'It sickens me.'
- Incorrect: 'I sickened a flu.' Correct (UK): 'I was sickening for a flu.' / 'I came down with a flu.'
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'sicken' used in its UK-specific sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is less common in everyday conversation than its adjective form 'sickening' or synonyms like 'disgust'. It has a formal/literary register.
Yes, especially in the medical sense ('sickening for') or the emotional sense ('sickening of'), it implies a developing state.
'Disgust' is more general. 'Nauseate' strongly implies physical queasiness. 'Sicken' can cover both, with a more dramatic or profound connotation.
No, it can be intransitive ('He sickened and died', 'She sickened at the thought') and transitive ('It sickened him').