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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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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Recent Examples of sickly
But does that mean that vegans are going against human’s evolutionary history and are bound to be weak, sickly, and even stupid?
—
Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
The collection of slab-like columns by Derek McLane, lit in sickly, sullen colors by Natasha Katz, could be anywhere.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
The color-grading choice was particularly popular in movies at the turn of the millennium, a sickly tint that conveyed metropolitan gothic sensibilities and disaffection while amping up the physical sallowness of already-pallid leads.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
What danced across your palate in the first mouthful becomes a sickly chore by the end of the meal.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sickly
Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
The collection of slab-like columns by Derek McLane, lit in sickly, sullen colors by Natasha Katz, could be anywhere.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2025
The color-grading choice was particularly popular in movies at the turn of the millennium, a sickly tint that conveyed metropolitan gothic sensibilities and disaffection while amping up the physical sallowness of already-pallid leads.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
What danced across your palate in the first mouthful becomes a sickly chore by the end of the meal.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sickly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickly
Adjective
-
The actor, to whom the film is dedicated, returns for one brief scene, looking very frail and obviously ill.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2025
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In rare cases, salmonella can result in more serious illness and can be fatal in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.—
Lucia I Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
4 May 2025
Adjective
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The last time fans saw her as Britt, she was attacked by a serial killer and died from his poisonous hook.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
6 June 2025
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On July 29, 2023, Erin Patterson, 50, allegedly served her ex-husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, beef wellington laced with poisonous mushrooms, which resulted in their deaths.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
By the time Trump met Kim for a second summit in Hanoi, Trump’s attention had drifted from North Korea, and both men’s greed for a quick deal derailed their fragile progress.—
John Delury,
Foreign Affairs,
3 June 2025
-
That’s where trust can become fragile if leaders start to chase proxies instead of performance.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
Law enforcement warned that burning lithium-ion batteries used in the cars release toxic gases, posing possible health risks.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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The titular metaphor refers to a healing herb that becomes toxic in the wrong dosage, much as love requires the right proportions to find harmony.—
Jenn Pelly,
Time,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
There is another current salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers that has already left 45 people sick and 16 hospitalized across 18 states.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Some of the samples tested positive for Salmonella and additional testing found that the samples were closely related to the Salmonella found in sick people.—
Amber Brenza,
Health,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
The unhealthful effects of autocracy remain robust even when accounting for economic differences and when excluding Venezuela and its collapsing health-care system.—
Thomas J. Bollyky,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Jan. 2020
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However, communities in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains were still experiencing unhealthful air quality, according to the air district.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Neurologists worried that the urban environment, factory work and office jobs, and other modern pressures were making men tired, indecisive, and physically weak.—
Time,
Time,
3 June 2025
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Global Blue's weak February European shopper data released on March 5 did indeed work as a catalyst.—
Ganesh Rao,
CNBC,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency declared an Air Pollution Action Day because widespread ozone and or particulate levels are expected to be at or above the unhealthy for sensitive groups category.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
-
Air quality has reached unhealthy conditions in states such as Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sickly. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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