sickly

American  

[sik-lee] / ˈsɪk li /

adjective

sicklier, sickliest

1. not strong; unhealthy; ailing.

   Synonyms:

   infirm, feeble, sick, puny, weak, frail

2. of, connected with, or arising from ill health.

   a sickly complexion.

3. marked by the prevalence of ill health, as a region.

   the epidemic left the town sickly.

4. causing sickness.

5. nauseating.

6. maudlin and insipid; mawkish.

   sickly sentimentality.

7. faint or feeble, as light or color.

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adverb

1. in a sick or sickly manner.

verb (used with object)

sicklied, sicklying

1. to cover with a sickly hue.

sickly British  

/ ˈsɪklɪ /

adjective

1. disposed to frequent ailments; not healthy; weak

2. of, relating to, or caused by sickness

3. (of a smell, taste, etc) causing revulsion or nausea

4. (of light or colour) faint or feeble

5. mawkish; insipid

   sickly affectation

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adverb

1. in a sick or sickly manner

Other Word Forms

• sickliness noun

Etymology

Origin of sickly

1300–50; Middle English siklich, sekly (adj.). See sick ¹, -ly

Example Sentences

Working with his regular cinematographer Oleg Mutu, Loznitsa gives this prison — and authoritarianism itself — a sickly luster without ever denying its wretched stench.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Modi, as the Italian was affectionately called, was urbane, well-groomed and handsome, while Soutine was destitute, sickly and notoriously unwashed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

But it’s not wrong that the movement is starting to look a little sickly.

From Salon • Nov. 24, 2025

Smith was a sickly child, contracting bronchial pneumonia, tuberculosis, German measles, mumps and chicken pox which kept her in "periods of lengthy bed rest".

From BBC • Nov. 4, 2025

“Don’t you think that can of worms is open now, Gloria? Yes, your gram was a sickly child, Emma.”

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

Related Words

• ailing
• cranky
• feeble
• infirm
• lackluster