1
as in frail
chronically or repeatedly suffering from poor health
a sickly foal that seemed to catch everything that the other horses had
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in poisonous
bad for the well-being of the body
lungs scarred by years of exposure to the sickly air of the coal mines
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sickly
Planting too early in the season when the soil is cool might result in a sickly plant all season long or seeds that won't germinate.
—
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
Cupid and Psyche 85, in its sickly plastic way, is a profoundly uplifting record.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Cathy is raised by her father, Edgar, and goes on to marry Heathcliff’s sickly son, Linton, who dies shortly after their wedding.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
The man from the future drives his dwindling crew onward to face the final challenge, involving yet another sickly looking child (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt) who’s had way too much screen time and now holds the fate of the world in his keyboard-friendly fingertips.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sickly
David Beaulieu, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
Cupid and Psyche 85, in its sickly plastic way, is a profoundly uplifting record.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Cathy is raised by her father, Edgar, and goes on to marry Heathcliff’s sickly son, Linton, who dies shortly after their wedding.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
The man from the future drives his dwindling crew onward to face the final challenge, involving yet another sickly looking child (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt) who’s had way too much screen time and now holds the fate of the world in his keyboard-friendly fingertips.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sickly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickly
Adjective
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At the hospital in Dollow, mothers sat shoulder to shoulder on narrow beds holding frail children, some too weak to cry while others let out soft whimpers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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For all its public association with queerness, ballet remains largely committed to a frail, wispy femininity and a princely but muscular and explosive masculinity—with the stringent, often punishing body-shape standards to match.—
Chloe Angyal,
Time,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When Floyd is found dead at a community pool, surrounded by a poisonous cocktail and a vintage Playgirl magazine, two detectives (Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday) begin unraveling the bizarre chain of events that led to his death.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
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Although only a few of the 70-80 species of poisonous mushrooms are actually fatal when ingested, many of these deadly fungi bear an unfortunate resemblance to edible species and are thus especially dangerous.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Vested with the responsibility of finding havens for some of the county’s most fragile, lonely people, often without relatives or those able to care for them, Hernandez has been accused of treating them like commodities.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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The joint move from Kennedy and Zeldin comes as activists from Kennedy’s MAHA movement have forged fragile political ties with the EPA but expressed frustration with lack of action on their priorities, including pesticide regulation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Spinosad, although organically certified, can be toxic to bees, and pyrethrins—derived from plants—can affect a wide range of insects.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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For the outdoors, look to non-toxic and chemical-free (or chemical-lite) sprays.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That leaves a sicker, older, more expensive pool of enrollees, which pushes up premiums for everyone.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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As a result, many began calling in sick or quitting entirely.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The soil may contain pathogens, pesticides and other unhealthful things.—
Joan Morris,
Mercury News,
9 Feb. 2026
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The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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The slide appears to have involved a thick slab of soft snow breaking loose at a weak layer in the snowpack, the report said.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Endowed not only with a privileged birthright but—unlike the actual princes over in England, who had weak chins and went bald young—the physical stature to match?—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That all adds up to more winter days when nitrates are likely to reach unhealthy levels.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Lots of Cheese Overdoing it on cheese is another way to turn a salad into an unhealthy dish.—
Julie Marks,
Verywell Health,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickly. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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