Master confusing words with ease
Ill vs. Sick
Ill
/ɪl/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:
Antonyms:
Sick
/sɪk/Examples:
He felt very, very sick.The sick woman was lying on the ground.In the spring, many of the girls became sick.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Ill and sick can both describe someone who is not feeling well, but ill is often considered more formal than sick.
- Sick can also be used to describe feeling nauseated or wanting to vomit, whereas ill doesn't commonly convey this meaning directly.
- In British English, ill is more commonly used in place of sick compared to American English where sick is more prevalent.
- Think of ill as potentially more chronic or long-term, whereas sick can describe both short-term and long-term feelings of unwellness.
- Remember that sick can also be used in slang contexts to describe something cool or impressive.
© 2025 Lithium Lab Pte Ltd