sickening

adjective

sick·​en·​ing ˈsi-kə-niŋ How to pronounce sickening (audio)
ˈsik-niŋ
Synonyms of sickeningnext
: causing sickness or disgust
a sickening odor
a sickening display
sickeningly
ˈsi-kə-niŋ-lē How to pronounce sickening (audio)
ˈsik-niŋ-
adverb

Examples of sickening in a Sentence

a sickening display of selfishness We heard the squeal of brakes and a sickening thud.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But Pretti’s last seconds were captured from multiple angles, in sickening footage widely distributed on social media and by news organizations. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 25 Jan. 2026 The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Wcco Staff, CBS News, 24 Jan. 2026 The Croatian Football Federation were fined just £15,000 for the sickening abuse aimed in his direction during England’s World Cup qualifier in Zagreb in September 2008. James Pearce, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026 Jin Shin has come across some monster potholes over the last couple of weeks, including one in Koreatown that rattled his car with a sickening thump and another near the airport where its depth was obscured by water. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sickening

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sickening was in 1789

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sickening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sickening. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

sickening

adjective
sick·​en·​ing
ˈsik-(ə-)niŋ
: causing sickness or disgust
a sickening sight
sickeningly adverb

Medical Definition

sickening

adjective
sick·​en·​ing ˈsik-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce sickening (audio)
: causing sickness or nausea

More from Merriam-Webster on sickening

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster