SICKENING Synonyms: 163 Similar and Opposite Words

sickening 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsi-kə-niŋ

Definition of sickening

as in disgusting

causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment a sickening display of emotion

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sickening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sicken

as in appalling

to cause to feel disgust sickened by the awful sight of the polluted river

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of sickening

Adjective

Hersh was held hostage for 328 sickening, agonizing, and starving days until his captors executed him with five other young and luminous people in a tunnel underneath Gaza. — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 2026 The idea of my dad’s enduring intense treatments and sickening side effects for the rest of his life was dreadful. — Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Verb

Tuesday’s rat-trapping marks the start of fieldwork within Argentina's wider investigation into the origin of the contagion that struck the MV Hondius, killing three people, sickening several others and setting off a global scramble to trace passengers and their close contacts. — ABC News, 19 May 2026 But a few weeks into his vacation across the Atlantic Ocean, the Oregon doctor jumped into action caring for passengers after a deadly hantavirus outbreak began spreading through the ship, sickening the vessel’s doctor. — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sickening

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sickening

Adjective

Comparing the administration's fight to protect women and women's spaces from males to rape, is utterly disgusting and actually devalues those atrocities and crimes against actual women.

— Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The squad has not been beefed up at all after a shameful and disgusting transfer window.

— Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of disgusting

Verb

The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.

— Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.

— Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026

Definition of appalling

Adjective

In most versions of the Greek mythology, Medusa is a beautiful woman that was cursed by the goddess Athena with a head of snakes instead of hair and the horrible ability to turn people to stone with just one look.

— Lynsey Eidell, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2026
The battle is between that horrible atmosphere and some of the horrific candidates that have been nominated by the Democratic Party.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of horrible

Adjective

Mahomes scrambled to his left and threw an awful interception in the opening half.

— Sam McDowell October 25, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Their wins this year have been against a Patriots team that looked awful in Week 1 – with Drew Lock coming in for Darnold early in the game.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of awful

Verb

On Christmas Day, Neon will weigh in with the best of the three, Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, a humorous and ultimately horrifying account of 20 years of AI evolution and a scorching portrait of OpenAI founder Sam Altman.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
The crime scene was gruesome, horrifying those who were summoned to the Second Street home in the wake of the attacks.

— Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of horrifying

Adjective

The mother of a toddler who was found breathing in a hospital morgue hours after being pronounced dead is speaking out about the shocking incident.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Sunday’s shocking loss to the Arizona Cardinals dropped Los Angeles to 2-4, and, suddenly, a team that entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations is fighting to stay in the playoff picture.

— Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026