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Definition of sickening

sickening

/ˈsɪk.ən.ɪŋ/
sick · en · ing
Adverb:sickeningly
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sickening Lexical Profile

sickening Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Causing strong moral disgust, shock, or deep emotional distress.

Example

"The documentary exposed the sickening exploitation of child laborers in the region."

2

Causing physical nausea, revulsion, or queasiness.

Example

"A sickening odor of spoiled milk drifted from the unplugged refrigerator."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for sickening

• Nearby Words

sickbed
sicken
sickener
sickening
sickeningly
sickeningness
sickie

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed as the participial adjective of 'sicken', which derives from the Old English adjective 'seoc' (meaning 'ill' or 'diseased') combined with the verbal suffix '-en'.

Cite this Entry

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