sickness
/ˈsɪknəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsɪknəs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsik-nəs/ (ame, mw)
sickness — noun
1. the state when your body or mind is not working normally because of a disease, i
the state when your body or mind is not working normally because of a disease, infection, or other health problem
Felipe missed three weeks of work after a serious sickness put him in hospital.
sickness + due to + cause phrase
The new insurance policy covers both sickness and injury for all full-time employees.
uncountable: covers sickness and injury
Defne's grandmother has a history of sickness and has been in and out of hospital.
After the flood contaminated the wells, many families in the village suffered from sickness.
A balanced diet and regular exercise can help prevent common sickness throughout the year.
- illness
more general and can be used in formal or medical contexts; 'sickness' is slightly more informal and often implies a stomach-related or temporary condition
- ill health
more formal and often refers to a long-term or chronic condition
文法句型
sickness + of + noun phrase
compound: [cause/type] + sickness
用法筆記
Often used as an uncountable noun. 'Sickness' is more common than 'illness' in everyday speech when referring to specific symptoms such as a stomach upset or head cold. The word also appears frequently in fixed compounds like 'travel sickness' and 'morning sickness'.
常見錯誤
2. the unpleasant feeling that the food or drink in your stomach may rise up into y
the unpleasant feeling that the food or drink in your stomach may rise up into your mouth, or the act of bringing it up
The rough sea journey caused a wave of sickness that left many passengers lying down.
wave of sickness
Brian felt a sudden sickness in his stomach after eating the undercooked chicken.
felt a sudden sickness in his stomach
Morning sickness affects many women during the early weeks of pregnancy.
The medicine's strong smell brought on a feeling of sickness that would not go away.
Zola took a tablet for travel sickness before boarding the overnight ferry to the island.
- nausea
more clinical; refers only to the feeling of wanting to vomit, not the act itself
- vomiting
more formal and direct; refers to the physical act rather than the sensation
- queasiness
a milder or less intense feeling of sickness in the stomach
文法句型
a feeling/wave of + sickness
compound: [cause/scenario] + sickness
用法筆記
Frequently appears in compound nouns such as 'morning sickness' (common in pregnancy), 'travel sickness' (motion-induced), and 'sea sickness'. When describing the physical act of bringing up food, 'vomiting' is the more clinical term; 'sickness' often refers to the sensation or tendency rather than the act itself.
常見錯誤
3. a particular disease that has a recognised name, a known set of symptoms, or a k
a particular disease that has a recognised name, a known set of symptoms, or a known cause, especially one that appears in a specific group of people or animals
Sleeping sickness is a serious disease spread by the tsetse fly in parts of Africa.
compound: sleeping sickness
Radiation sickness can develop after exposure to very high levels of nuclear material.
compound: radiation sickness
Asher was diagnosed with altitude sickness after climbing too quickly in the Andes mountains.
A new form of livestock sickness has been spreading through cattle farms in the south.
The researchers are studying a rare sickness that only affects people living near certain mines.
- disease
the standard term for a named medical condition; 'disease' works as a standalone word whereas 'sickness' in this sense almost always needs a modifier
- disorder
more clinical, often used for conditions that affect specific body systems
- ailment
less formal, often used for minor or chronic conditions that are not life-threatening
文法句型
[type/place/cause] + sickness
sickness + spread/affect/cause
用法筆記
In this sense, 'sickness' almost always appears as part of a compound noun naming a specific disease (e.g., 'sleeping sickness', 'radiation sickness', 'altitude sickness'). It is rarely used on its own as a countable noun to name a disease; for most named conditions, 'disease' or 'syndrome' is preferred.
4. a strong feeling of shock, sadness, or disgust caused by something that is deepl
a strong feeling of shock, sadness, or disgust caused by something that is deeply unpleasant or morally wrong; also, the quality of being defective, corrupt, or seriously flawed
The villagers felt a deep sickness when their only school was closed forever.
felt a deep sickness — figurative emotional use
A sickness of disappointment spread through the team after their narrow defeat in the final.
sickness of disappointment — figurative + of-phrase
Ilan could not hide the sickness he felt seeing the earthquake damage.
There is a deep sickness in the way the company treats its lowest-paid factory workers.
Élise wrote about the sickness of a society that ignores its poorest citizens.
- horror
stronger, more immediate emotional reaction of fear and shock; 'sickness' adds a layer of moral revulsion
- disgust
focuses on the feeling of strong dislike or revulsion; 'sickness' implies a deeper, more unsettling reaction
- revulsion
a sudden, violent feeling of disgust; more dramatic than 'sickness'
- delight
a feeling of great pleasure or satisfaction
- wholesomeness
the quality of being morally good, healthy, and sound
文法句型
a sickness + of + abstract noun
there is a sickness in/of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This is a figurative, emotional sense used in formal or literary contexts. It describes a reaction to something shocking or morally repulsive (similar to 'disgust' or 'horror'), or it describes a state of corruption or defect in an organisation, system, or society. It is not used for physical illness.