sickness meaning

sickness as a noun

1. impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism

   Synonyms: illness, unwellness, malady

   Type of: ill health

   Kinds: condition, ague, amyloidosis, anuresis, catastrophic illness, collapse, decompression sickness, food poisoning, lead poisoning, disease, hypermotility, indisposition

   Related forms: sick

2. defectiveness or unsoundness
   • drugs have become a sickness they cannot cure
   • a great sickness of his judgment

   Type of: defectiveness

3. the state that precedes vomiting

   Synonyms: nausea

   Type of: symptom

   Kinds: motion sickness, morning sickness, queasiness

   Related forms: sick

How to pronounce sickness

sickness is pronounced /ˈsɪknɪs/ in British English and /ˈsɪknəs/ in American English. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.

Words that rhyme with sickness

• quickness
• thickness