sicken

[sik-uhn]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become sick.

2. to cause or experience disgust, outrage, or loathing.

   Synonyms: upset, outrage, disgust, revolt, revolt, repulse

sicken

/ ˈsɪkən /

verb

1. to make or become sick, nauseated, or disgusted

2. to show symptoms (of an illness)

Other Word Forms

• resicken verb
• unsickened adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sicken¹

1150–1200; Middle English seknen, sicnen; cognate with Old Norse sjūkna. See sick ¹, -en ¹

Example Sentences

“For somebody just to lie about it was just sickening.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The fumes—sometimes described as smelling of “wet dog,” “Cheetos” or “nail polish”—have led to emergency landings, sickened passengers and affected pilots’ vision and reaction times midflight, according to official reports.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Since the avian flu arrived en force in California’s dairy industry in 2024, not only has it sickened cows, it has killed hundreds of domestic cats.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The judge at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court said it must have been a "disgusting and sickening" experience for the girl, who was wearing school uniform at the time.

Read more on BBC

She went on to write: “Thought I didn’t agree at ALL with Charlie Kirk; his shooting death sickened me; and should have sickened any decent human being. What is happening to our country?”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• affect 
• afflict 
• disgust 
• nauseate 
• offend 
• repel 
• repulse