1
: somewhat unwell
also
: habitually ailing
2
: produced by or associated with sickness
a sickly complexion
a sickly appetite
3
: producing or tending to produce disease : unwholesome
a sickly climate
4
a
: appearing as if sick
b
: lacking in vigor : weak
a sickly plant
5
: sickening
a sickly odor
sickliness
noun
sicklier; sickliest
: in a manner indicating, causing, or suggestive of sickness
Walking blindly, every step making him sick with pain, he … covered his face as much as he could, and struggled sickly along.—
D. H. Lawrence
D. H. LawrenceHis face turned a sickly shade of yellow.—Rick Riordan
—sometimes used figurativelyRick RiordanNick was the perfect boy for me. We were that sickly-sweet couple who never fought.—Sara Harari
Sara HarariSynonyms
Examples of sickly in a Sentence
Adjective
The walls were painted a sickly yellow.
The lamp gave off a sickly glow.
Recent Examples on the Web
Christopher Damman, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
The same sickly rainbow sheen goes across his eye and then hers.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2024
In that game of lore, a sickly Jordan played 44 minutes and finished with 38 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block.
—Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2024
Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 Jan. 2022
There is something unsavory, even sickly about the artist, something not entirely on the side of life.
—New York Times, 17 Sep. 2021
See all Example Sentences for sickly 
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Adjective
Sugar and other ingredients in Halloween treats can cast a sickly spell on the trillions of microorganisms that reside in your gut, collectively known as the gut microbiome.
—Christopher Damman, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
The same sickly rainbow sheen goes across his eye and then hers.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
Adverb
The flavor was usually watered-down and sickly sweet, with an unpleasant alcohol burn and none of the complexity of a straight bourbon or rye whiskey.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2024
In that game of lore, a sickly Jordan played 44 minutes and finished with 38 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block.
—Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2024
Verb
And Jessie is stubbornly clinging to the only remedy that seems to help sickly Thomas at all: blood.
—Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 Jan. 2022
There is something unsavory, even sickly about the artist, something not entirely on the side of life.
—New York Times, 17 Sep. 2021
See all Example Sentences for sickly
Dictionary Entries Near sickly
Cite this Entry
“Sickly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sickly. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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