under the weather

Cultural  

1. Indisposed, unwell: “The day after the big party, Jay had to call in sick, saying he was feeling under the weather.”

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under the weather Idioms  

1. Ailing, ill; also, suffering from a hangover. For example, She said she was under the weather and couldn't make it to the meeting. This expression presumably alludes to the influence of the weather on one's health. [Early 1800s] The same term is sometimes used as a euphemism for being drunk, as in After four drinks, Ellen was a bit under the weather.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

under the weather

"I felt so under the weather, so fatigued and in so much pain."

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

“My son couldn’t come today because he’s feeling a little under the weather with a fever,” said Porro, who dedicated his goal to the boy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

LIV said it was because of illness and he had been "feeling under the weather all week".

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2025

Being under the weather couldn't keep Morgan from keeping tabs on the team and his Knicks-branded phone case was visible in the photo.

From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2025

From some need of his own, Don Bernardo pretended his wife was just under the weather rather than suffering from dementia.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez