Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for "sickening"
  • present participle of sicken.
SEE ALSO:
Slang dictionary results for sickening.
Synonyms

sickening

American  
[sik-uh-ning] / ˈsɪk ə nɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing or capable of causing sickness, especially nausea, disgust, or loathing.

    sickening arrogance.

    Synonyms:
    loathsome, disgusting, nauseating

sickening British  
/ ˈsɪkənɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing sickness or revulsion

  2. informal extremely annoying

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of sickening

First recorded in 1715–25; sicken + -ing 2

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.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the incident "horrific" and "sickening" in a post on X.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Bradley described PR content and celebrity skits one day after the consultation closed as "honestly sickening."

From BBC • May 20, 2026

By sickening contrast, Nadja Spiegelman, an editor at the Times, and Jia Tolentino, a writer for the New Yorker, giggled their way through an interview with Mr. Piker.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

A major investigation has been launched into the "sickening" large-scale dumping of waste at a protected site in Leicestershire.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Once I was there, Brooke Daniels and her sickening boyfriend, Timmy Kurtz, caught my eye.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "sickening" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com