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

Britain's Harriet Dart said she felt "under the weather" as she struggled in the heat during her second-round loss to Marie Bouzkova at the US Open.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

It was wilting under the weather and the weight of a team from Iowa.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 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

Shortstop Mookie Betts first started feeling under the weather during the Dodgers’ final week of spring camp, sitting out their final two Cactus League games.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 17, 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

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