sickly
gb/sˈɪkli/ us/sˈɪkli/
B2
English
~ 8100
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
state
1
often ill and physically weak
often ill and weak, usually for a long time
Usage pattern:
a sickly [person/animal]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"I feel sickly"* when they mean they are ill right now. In everyday English, people usually say *"I feel sick"* for a temporary problem. *Sickly* is used more for a long-time condition, especially in phrases like *"a sickly child"*.
Synonyms
unhealthy (more general; can describe lifestyle or food as well as people)
|
frail (emphasizes physical weakness, especially in very old or very young people)
|
delicate (softer and sometimes positive; suggests easily hurt or made ill)
Antonyms
healthy (general opposite; strong and not often ill)
|
robust (stresses strong body and good health)
Collocations
a sickly child
|small and sickly
|frail and sickly
|sickly baby
|sickly body
|sickly and weak
Themes
health
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He was a sickly child who caught every cold that went around.
- Her father grew too sickly to continue working on the farm.
- The puppies looked sickly and needed urgent care.
- Years of poor diet had left him pale and sickly.
- She always seemed a little sickly compared with her energetic sisters.
Learner examples
- He was a small, sickly boy.
- My grandfather is too sickly to travel now.
- The dog looked sickly and very thin.
- After the war he returned home weak and sickly.
- She cared for her sickly mother every day.
adjective
B2
property
2
unhealthy-looking in color or appearance
looking pale or strange in color, so it seems unhealthy
Usage pattern:
a sickly [color/face/light]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *sickly* instead of more common words like *pale* or *green* in neutral descriptions. *Sickly* usually adds a negative feeling, suggesting the color or look is unpleasant or unhealthy.
Synonyms
pale (focuses on light color of skin; does not always suggest illness)
|
unhealthy-looking (more explicit and less descriptive; clearly states the idea)
Antonyms
healthy-looking (direct opposite; appearance suggests good health)
|
rosy (suggests a healthy pink color, especially in cheeks)
Collocations
sickly pale
|sickly green
|sickly yellow
|sickly light
|sickly glow
|sickly face
Themes
appearance
|emotions
|health
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A sickly green light filled the hallway.
- His face took on a sickly yellow color as the fever rose.
- The plant's leaves had turned a sickly brown at the edges.
- Under the flickering bulb, everything looked strange and sickly.
- She gave him a long, sickly smile that did not reach her eyes.
Learner examples
- The room was a sickly green color.
- His skin looked sickly and very pale.
- A sickly yellow light came from the window.
- The flowers were a sickly brown at the top.
- The street was lit by a sickly orange lamp.
unknown
B2
property
3
unpleasantly sweet or disgusting
so sweet, rich, or emotional that it feels bad or makes you feel a little sick
Usage pattern:
a sickly [smell/taste/romance]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think *sickly* here means only *very sweet*. In this sense it is negative: *sickly sweet* means *too sweet and unpleasant*, not just *very sweet*.
Synonyms
cloying (quite formal/literary; focuses on being too sweet or too emotional)
|
nauseating (stronger; suggests it nearly makes you want to vomit)
|
overly sweet (more informal phrase; only for taste or style, not smell)
Antonyms
pleasant (general opposite; simply nice to taste, smell, or watch)
|
subtle (opposite in intensity; not too strong or obvious)
Collocations
sickly sweet
|sickly smell
|sickly taste
|sickly perfume
|sickly romantic
|sickly sentimentality
Themes
food
|emotions
|art
|food_drink
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The dessert was so sickly sweet that I couldn't finish it.
- A sickly smell of cheap perfume filled the room.
- I can't stand those sickly romantic movies where everyone is perfect.
- The air had a sickly, chemical taste near the factory.
- He flashed her a sickly sweet grin that felt insincere.
Learner examples
- The cake was sickly sweet.
- There was a sickly smell in the bathroom.
- I do not like sickly love stories.
- The drink had a sickly taste, so I stopped drinking it.
- She wore a sickly sweet perfume.
adverb
literary
C1
property
4
in a weak or unhealthy way
in a weak or unhealthy way, often for a smile or laugh that is not real
Usage pattern:
[someone] [smiles/laughs] sickly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes write *"a sickly smiled"* instead of *"smiled sickly"*. Remember *sickly* is an adverb in this pattern, so it comes after the verb: *"He smiled sickly"*.
Synonyms
weakly (very close in meaning; does not always suggest illness)
|
feebly (similar but a little more formal; emphasizes lack of strength)
Antonyms
brightly (opposite in emotional tone; suggests a happy, strong smile)
|
confidently (opposite in attitude; shows strength and assurance)
Collocations
smiled sickly
|laughed sickly
|grinned sickly
Themes
emotions
|literature
|health
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He smiled sickly and looked away.
- She laughed sickly at his joke, clearly not amused.
- The boy grinned sickly, trying to hide his fear.
- I thanked him, and he nodded sickly in reply.
Learner examples
- He smiled sickly when he saw me.
- She laughed sickly, but her eyes were sad.
- The man grinned sickly and said nothing.
- The child waved sickly at his friends.
- He answered sickly and turned his head.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sickly
IPA
GB/sˈɪkli/
US/sˈɪkli/
Syllables & stress
sickly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sickly)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: sickly
- Comparative: sicklier
- Superlative: sickliest
Word family
Expressions
sickly green
1/sˈɪkli ɡɹˈin/
fixed phrase
unpleasant pale green color
a light green color that looks strange or unhealthy and is not nice to see
Examples
- The walls were painted a sickly green that made the room feel cold.
- A sickly green light flashed across the sky.
sickly smile
1/sˈɪkli smˈaɪl/
fixed phrase
weak, unhealthy, or forced smile
a smile that looks weak, not real, or as if the person feels bad or afraid
Examples
- He gave me a sickly smile and said everything was fine.
- She greeted the guests with a sickly smile that showed her nervousness.
sickly sweet
1/sˈɪkli swˈit/
fixed phrase
unpleasantly and excessively sweet
very, very sweet in a way that feels bad or unpleasant, sometimes also too romantic or emotional
Examples
- The sauce was sickly sweet and covered the taste of the meat.
- I can't stand those sickly sweet songs about perfect love.