sickness

noun

sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs 

1

a

: ill health : illness

b

: a disordered, weakened, or unsound condition

2

: a specific disease

3

: nausea, queasiness

Synonyms

• illness
• indisposition
• unhealthiness
• unsoundness

Examples of sickness in a Sentence

He died from an unknown sickness.

she was plagued by sickness most of her adult life

Recent Examples on the Web

Keanu Reeves pushed himself to the point of sickness in order to pull off intense stunts in John Wick. —Eric Andersson, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024

In short, this means Germany’s high rate of sickness cost its economy about €26 billion last year, according to VFA. —Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 1 Nov. 2024

As a young woman, my grandmother had spent weeks afloat at sea, cramped into a ship with little food and much sickness. —Zining Mok, Longreads, 22 Oct. 2024

According to the Stop Hazing organization, the most common hazing behaviors involve alcohol consumption, such as drinking to the point of sickness or blackouts. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sickness

• acute mountain sickness
• African sleeping sickness
• altitude sickness
• decompression sickness
• milk sickness
• morning sickness
• motion sickness
• mountain sickness
• radiation sickness
• serum sickness
• sickness benefit
• sleeping sickness
• travel sickness

Kids Definition

sickness

noun

sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs 

1

: ill health : illness

2

: a specific disease : malady

3

: nausea sense 1

Medical Definition

sickness

noun

sick·​ness ˈsik-nəs 

1

: the condition of being ill : ill health

2

: a specific disease

3

: nausea