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Definition of nauseous

nauseous

/ˈnɔː.ʃəs/
nau · seous
Adverb:nauseously
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nauseous Lexical Profile

nauseous Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Affected with nausea; feeling inclined to vomit or sick to one's stomach.

Example

"The turbulent boat ride across the channel left several passengers feeling dizzy and nauseous."

2

Causing nausea, sickness, or strong disgust; sickening or repulsive.

Example

"A nauseous odor of rotting vegetation drifted across the stagnant marsh."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for nauseous
Antonyms
View all antonyms for nauseous

Word Nuance & Usage

Traditional usage commentators once argued that "nauseous" meant only "causing nausea" and "nauseated" meant "feeling nausea," but in modern standard English both words are fully accepted to mean "feeling sick to one's stomach."

• Rhymes for nauseous

• Nearby Words

nauseate
nauseating
nauseatingly
nauseous
nauseously
nauseousness
nautical

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the early 17th century from Latin nauseosus, from nausea ("seasickness"), which ultimately derives from Ancient Greek naus ("ship").

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Nauseous. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/nauseous
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