nauseate

[naw-zee-eyt, -zhee-, -see-, -shee-]

verb (used with object)

nauseated, nauseating 

1. to affect with nausea; sicken.

   The overwhelming smell of boiled cabbage nauseated them.

2. to cause to feel extreme disgust.

   His vicious behavior toward the dogs nauseates me.

   Synonyms: revolt
   Antonyms: delight, attract

verb (used without object)

nauseated, nauseating 

1. to become affected with nausea.

nauseate

/ ˈnɔːzɪˌeɪt, -sɪ- /

verb

1. (tr) to arouse feelings of disgust or revulsion in

2. to feel or cause to feel sick

Other Word Forms

• nauseatingly adverb
• nauseation noun
• nauseating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of nauseate¹

First recorded in 1630–40, nauseate is from the Latin word nauseātus (past participle of nauseāre “to be seasick”). See nausea, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

As any seasoned horror movie fan can attest, few frights are as reliably nauseating as eyeball trauma.

From Salon

The parade of cultural affinity clubs, diversity events and policies that sought to make the school more equitable nauseated Miller.

From Los Angeles Times

In the paper, they note something that sounds straight from a witch’s journal: “the strongest and most nauseating odor was observed towards midnight, attracting many flies, ants, moths and roaches.”

From Salon

Those numbers are nauseatingly similar to a typical MLM, in which the top 1 percent makes the same as the bottom 94 percent.

From Salon

It was a nauseating spectacle that went on for years.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• horrify 
• sicken 

When To Use

What does nauseate mean?

To nauseate means to cause nausea—a feeling of sickness in your stomach, as if you might vomit.The word nauseated is commonly used as an adjective to mean feeling nausea. The adjective nauseous is more commonly used to mean the same thing.The adjective nauseating means causing nausea (nauseous can also be used to mean this, but that’s much less common).The word nausea can also be used in a figurative way meaning a feeling of disgust, revulsion, or repulsion, and nauseate can mean to make someone feel this, meaning the same thing as the verb disgust, as in Their cruelty nauseates me. Much less commonly, nauseate can mean to become nauseous, as in I nauseate whenever I ride a rollercoaster. Example: I’m not sure what nauseated me more—the disgusting food or the server’s disgusting comments.