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

“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

Feeling under the weather, the 45-year-old social worker noticed what she believed was a boil in her upper groin.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

I could tell she was feeling a little under the weather that day but she didn’t ask for any special treatment, and kindly and happily took direction.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025

"I felt a bit under the weather, but I was still going about my daily life," she said.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2025

To be honest, the boss was a little pooped; a bit under the weather; unhappy, and baffled too; call it at loose ends.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols