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Commonly Confused Words
Ill/Sick
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Ill vs. Sick
Ill
/ɪl/
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Not feeling well or being sick
Examples:
People who walk in their sleep are often
ill
.
The trial has succeeded
ill
, Monsieur d'Artagnan."
What new misery or
ill
was this?
Synonyms:
sick
unwell
ailing
Antonyms:
healthy
well
fit
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Sick
/sɪk/
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Feeling unwell or having a physical illness
Examples:
He felt very, very
sick
.
The
sick
woman was lying on the ground.
I
n the spring, many of the girls became sick.
Synonyms:
ill
unwell
ailing
infirm
diseased
Antonyms:
healthy
well
fit
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Ways to tell them apart:
Ill
can be a more formal term and is often used in British English.
Sick
is commonly used in American English to describe feeling unwell.
Ill
can imply a more serious or long-term condition compared to
sick.
Sick
can also describe nausea or vomiting, not just general unwellness.
Ill
is sometimes used to refer to a bad or harmful influence, as in
ill effects.
When to use ill:
When to use sick:
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