nauseous

[naw-shuhs, -zee-uhs]

adjective

1. affected with nausea; nauseated.

   to feel nauseous.

2. causing nausea; sickening; nauseating.

   a nauseous smell.

3. disgusting; loathsome.

   a nauseous display of greed.

   Synonyms: repulsive, despicable, detestable, abhorrent, repellent, nasty, nasty, revolting
   Antonyms: delightful

nauseous

/ ˈnɔːzɪəs, -sɪ- /

adjective

1. feeling sick

2. causing nausea

3. distasteful to the mind or senses; repulsive

Confusables Note

The two literal senses of nauseous, “affected with nausea” ( to feel nauseous ) and “causing nausea” ( a nauseous smell ), appear in English at almost the same time in the early 17th century, and both senses are in standard use at the present time. Nauseous is more common than nauseated in the sense “affected with nausea,” despite recent objections by those who imagine the sense to be new. In the sense “causing nausea,” either literally or figuratively, nauseating has become more common than nauseous : a nauseating smell.

Other Word Forms

• nauseously adverb
• nauseousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nauseous¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin nauseōsus; nausea, -ous

Example Sentences

As soon as we enter, the forest spins around like a carousel, making me dizzy and nauseous.

Read more on Literature

Fifty-six years ago today I was a nauseous pregnant bride in a Las Vegas roadside wedding chapel with Francis and eight members of our families.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If you’re a Targaryen on “House of the Dragon,” childbirth is as likely to be a nauseous, chunky event as a joyous one.

Read more on Salon

And while I emerged from each of my three circuits dripping sweat and faintly nauseous, I could see the appeal of a full-body experience that requires being almost parodically in the moment.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The most painful, the one that left fans feeling light-headed, jelly-legged and nauseous - look no further than this.

Read more on BBC

When To Use

What does nauseous mean?

To be nauseous is to have nausea—to feel sick in your stomach, as if you might vomit. The word nauseated means the same thing.Nauseous can also mean the same thing as nauseating—causing nausea. However, nauseous is much less commonly used this way (despite the fact that some people insist that it’s the “proper” use of the word).The word nausea can also be used in a figurative way meaning a feeling of disgust, revulsion, or repulsion, and nauseous can be used to describe things that make people feel this way, meaning about the same thing as disgusting or loathsome. However, the word nauseating is more commonly used in a figurative context, as in Your linguistic pedantry is nauseating. Example: If you feel nauseous, try lying down and breathing through your nose.