nausea
Americannoun
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a feeling of sickness in the stomach, especially when accompanied by a loathing for food and an involuntary impulse to vomit.
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extreme disgust; loathing; repugnance.
noun
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the sensation that precedes vomiting
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a feeling of disgust or revulsion
Usage
What does nausea mean? Nausea is a feeling of sickness in your stomach, as if you might vomit.People can experience nausea from food that has upset their stomach, from the side effects of medications, or from a number of other conditions that affect the stomach, such as seasickness, motion sickness, morning sickness, carsickness, and anxiety.To have nausea is to feel nauseous or nauseated. To nauseate is to cause nausea. Things that cause nausea can be described as nauseating (or, less commonly, nauseous).The word nausea can also be used in a figurative way meaning a feeling of disgust, revulsion, or repulsion, as in I felt a sense of nausea wash over me when witnessing their cruelty. Example: If you feel nausea coming on, try lying down and breathing through your nose.
Etymology
Origin of nausea
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin nausea, nausia, from unattested Greek nausíā (Ionic nausíē ) “seasickness,” derivative of naûs “ship”; -ia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In clinical trials, at least 20% of patients experienced nausea, constipation, diarrhea and vomiting, and between 5% and 10% of patients, depending on which dose they were taking, discontinued treatment.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Some people may experience bloating, nausea or discomfort as a side effect.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
These EC cells are known to produce sensations such as nausea, pain, and general gut discomfort, but it was unclear whether they directly interact with tuft cells.
From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026
Standing in my kitchen decades later, looking at the text message, the same feeling of nausea washed over me.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026
Moss’s heart pitched to his feet and the nausea rose in its place.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
