Sick vs. Ill — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 28, 2023
Sick often denotes feeling unwell or nauseated, while Ill generally means being in poor health.
Difference Between Sick and Ill
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Key Differences
Sick and Ill are both adjectives describing a state of not being in good health, but they can have nuanced distinctions. Sick, in American English, frequently connotes a temporary condition, perhaps a short-term illness or a feeling of nausea. For instance, one might say they feel sick after eating too much. Ill, on the other hand, might imply a more general or severe health condition, such as when someone suffers from a chronic illness.
Sick can also refer to feelings of disgust or revulsion. For example, one might say that a particular scene in a movie made them "sick to their stomach." Ill doesn't share this same usage. Instead, Ill can have connotations related to evil or malevolence, as in "ill intentions."
Another linguistic difference is in their use with specific illnesses. In American English, we often say someone is "sick with the flu" but "ill with cancer." This isn't a strict rule, but it does illustrate the potential gravitas that can be associated with the term Ill over Sick.
Lastly, the usage of Sick and Ill can vary by region. In British English, for example, Sick is more specifically associated with vomiting. Ill is more commonly used to describe general unwellness, whereas in American English, Sick can encompass both these meanings.
Comparison Chart
Primary Connotation
Feeling unwell or nauseated
Being in poor health
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Nuanced Meanings
Disgust or revulsion
Evil or malevolence
Regional Variations
In American English, general unwellness
In British English, general unwellness
Scope
Can indicate a temporary state
Often indicates a more prolonged or severe state
Compare with Definitions
Sick
Affected by physical or mental illness
Visiting the sick and the elderly
Nursing very sick children
Half my staff were off sick
Ill
Evil or malevolent in intent.
He harbored ill will towards his rivals.
Sick
Feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit
Mark felt sick with fear
He was starting to feel sick
Ill
Poor in quality
Ill judgement dogs the unsuccessful
Sick
Intensely annoyed with or bored by (someone or something) as a result of having had too much of them
I'm absolutely sick of your moods
Ill
Badly, wrongly, or imperfectly
The street is dominated by ill-lit shops
It ill becomes one so beautiful to be gloomy
Sick
Excellent.
Ill
Only with difficulty; hardly
She could ill afford the cost of new curtains
Sick
Vomit
She was busy wiping sick from the carpet
Ill
A problem or misfortune
A lengthy work on the ills of society
Sick
Set a dog on
The plan was to surprise the heck out of the grizzly by sicking the dog on him
Ill
Not healthy; sick
I began to feel ill last week.
Sick
Suffering from or affected with a physical illness; ailing.
Ill
Not normal; unsound
An ill condition of body and mind.
Sick
Of or for sick persons
Sick wards.
Ill
Resulting in suffering; harmful or distressing
The ill effects of a misconceived policy.
Sick
Nauseated.
Ill
Resulting from or suggestive of evil intentions
Ill deeds committed out of spite.
Sick
Mentally ill or disturbed.
Ill
Ascribing an objectionable quality
Holds an ill view of that political group.
Sick
Unwholesome, morbid, or sadistic
A sick joke.
A sick crime.
Ill
Hostile or unfriendly
Ill feeling between rivals.
Sick
Defective; unsound
A sick economy.
Ill
Harmful; pernicious
The ill effects of a misconceived policy.
Sick
Deeply distressed; upset
Sick with worry.
Ill
Not favorable; unpropitious
Ill predictions.
Sick
Disgusted; revolted.
Ill
Not measuring up to recognized standards of excellence, as of behavior or conduct
Ill manners.
Sick
Weary; tired
Sick of it all.
Ill
(Slang) Excellent; outstanding
Your new car is really ill!.
Sick
Pining; longing
Sick for his native land.
Ill
In a bad, inadequate, or improper way. Often used in combination
My words were ill-chosen.
Sick
In need of repairs
A sick ship.
Ill
In an unfavorable way; unpropitiously
A statistic that bodes ill for job growth.
Sick
Constituting an unhealthy environment for those working or residing within
A sick office building.
Ill
Scarcely or with difficulty
We can ill afford another mistake.
Sick
Unable to produce a profitable yield of crops
Sick soil.
Ill
Evil, wrongdoing, or harm
The ill that befell the townspeople.
Sick
(Slang) Excellent; outstanding
Did a sick run down the halfpipe.
Ill
Something that causes suffering; trouble
The social ills of urban life.
Sick
Sick people considered as a group. Often used with the.
Ill
Something that reflects in an unfavorable way on one
Please don't speak ill of me when I'm gone.
Sick
Chiefly British Vomit.
Ill
(used with a pl. verb) Sick people considered as a group. Often used with the.
Sick
Variant of sic2.
Ill
(obsolete) Evil; wicked (of people).
Sick
In poor health; ill.
She was sick all day with the flu.
We have to care for the sick.
Ill
(archaic) Morally reprehensible (of behaviour etc.); blameworthy.
Sick
Having an urge to vomit.
Ill
Indicative of unkind or malevolent intentions; harsh, cruel.
He suffered from ill treatment.
Sick
(colloquial) Mentally unstable, disturbed.
Ill
Unpropitious, unkind, faulty, not up to reasonable standard.
Ill manners; ill will
Sick
(colloquial) In bad taste.
That's a sick joke.
Ill
Unwell in terms of health or physical condition; sick.
Mentally ill people.
I've been ill with the flu for the past few days.
Sick
Tired of or annoyed by something.
I've heard that song on the radio so many times that I'm starting to get sick of it.
Ill
Having an urge to vomit.
Seeing those pictures made me ill.
Sick
(slang) Very good, excellent, awesome, badass.
This tune is sick.
Dude, this car's got a sick subwoofer!
Ill
(hip-hop slang) Sublime, with the connotation of being so in a singularly creative way.
Sick
In poor condition.
Sick building syndrome; my car is looking pretty sick; my job prospects are pretty sick
Ill
(slang) Extremely bad (bad enough to make one ill). Generally used indirectly with to be.
That band was ill.
Sick
(agriculture) Failing to sustain adequate harvests of crop, usually specified.
Ill
(dated) Unwise; not a good idea.
Sick
Vomit.
He lay there in a pool of his own sick.
Ill
Not well; imperfectly, badly
Sick
(especially in the phrases on the sick and on long-term sick) Any of various current or former benefits or allowances paid by the Government to support the sick, disabled or incapacitated.
Ill
(often pluralized) Trouble; distress; misfortune; adversity.
Music won't solve all the world's ills, but it can make them easier to bear.
Sick
(colloquial) To vomit.
I woke up at 4 am and sicked on the floor.
Ill
Harm or injury.
I wouldn't want you to do me ill.
Sick
To fall sick; to sicken.
Ill
Evil; moral wrongfulness.
Sick
(rare) sic
Ill
A physical ailment; an illness.
I am incapacitated by rheumatism and other ills.
Sick
Affected with, or attended by, nausea; inclined to vomit; as, sick at the stomach; a sick headache.
Ill
PCP, phencyclidine.
Sick
Having a strong dislike; disgusted; surfeited; - with of; as, to be sick of flattery.
He was not so sick of his master as of his work.
Ill
To behave aggressively.
Sick
Corrupted; imperfect; impaired; weakned.
So great is his antipathy against episcopacy, that, if a seraphim himself should be a bishop, he would either find or make some sick feathers in his wings.
Ill
Contrary to good, in a physical sense; contrary or opposed to advantage, happiness, etc.; bad; evil; unfortunate; disagreeable; unfavorable.
Neither is it ill air only that maketh an ill seat, but ill ways, ill markets, and ill neighbors.
There 's some ill planet reigns.
Sick
Sickness.
Ill
Contrary to good, in a moral sense; evil; wicked; wrong; iniquitious; naughtly; bad; improper.
Of his own body he was ill, and gaveThe clergy ill example.
Sick
To fall sick; to sicken.
Ill
Not according with rule, fitness, or propriety; incorrect; rude; unpolished; inelegant.
That 's an ill phrase.
Sick
People who are sick;
They devote their lives to caring for the sick
Ill
Whatever is contrary to good, in a moral sense; wickedness; depravity; iniquity; wrong; evil.
Strong virtue, like strong nature, struggles still,Exerts itself, and then throws off the ill.
Sick
Eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth;
After drinking too much, the students vomited
He purged continuously
The patient regurgitated the food we gave him last night
Ill
In a ill manner; badly; weakly.
How ill this taper burns!
Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,Where wealth accumulates and men decay.
Sick
Not in good physical or mental health;
Ill from the monotony of his suffering
Ill
Not in good physical or mental health;
Ill from the monotony of his suffering
Sick
Feeling nausea; feeling about to vomit
Ill
Resulting in suffering or adversity;
Ill effects
It's an ill wind that blows no good
Sick
Affected with madness or insanity;
A man who had gone mad
Ill
Distressing;
Ill manners
Of ill repute
Sick
Feeling unwell or nauseated.
She felt sick after riding the roller coaster.
Ill
Indicating hostility or enmity;
You certainly did me an ill turn
Ill feelings
Ill will
Sick
Experiencing strong discomfort or revulsion.
The news story made him sick to his stomach.
Ill
(`ill' is often used as a combining form) in a poor or improper or unsatisfactory manner; not well;
He was ill prepared
It ill befits a man to betray old friends
The car runs badly
He performed badly on the exam
The team played poorly
Ill-fitting clothes
An ill-conceived plan
Sick
Mentally or morally unsound.
Some claimed the criminal had a sick mind.
Ill
With difficulty or inconvenience; scarcely or hardly;
We can ill afford to buy a new car just now
Sick
Disappointed or regretful.
I'm sick that I missed the concert.
Ill
Unfavorable or adverse.
He had an ill feeling about the decision.
Ill
Not skillfully done or achieved.
The painting was of ill quality.
Ill
In an unfavorable or unkind manner.
She spoke ill of her neighbor.
Common Curiosities
Are the terms "Sick" and "Ill" interchangeable?
While they can often be used interchangeably, "Sick" often suggests a temporary condition, while "Ill" can indicate a more general or severe health state.
Can "Sick" relate to feelings of disgust?
Yes, "Sick" can refer to feelings of disgust or revulsion.
Does "Ill" ever relate to malevolence?
Yes, "Ill" can suggest evil or malevolent intentions, as in "ill will."
Can "Sick" suggest regret?
Yes, "Sick" can indicate disappointment or regret, as in "sick about missing the event."
Can "Sick" refer to a mental state?
Yes, "Sick" can denote someone mentally or morally unsound.
Is "Ill" used to describe poor quality?
Yes, "Ill" can describe something done unskillfully or of poor quality.
Would you use "Ill" to describe a short-term ailment?
While it's possible, "Ill" is often reserved for more prolonged or severe conditions.
Which term might describe nausea?
"Sick" is more commonly used to describe feelings of nausea.
Which term is more likely to be used with a short-term illness like the flu?
"Sick" is more commonly used with short-term illnesses like the flu.
How do American and British English differ in using "Sick" and "Ill"?
In British English, "Sick" is more associated with vomiting, while "Ill" describes general unwellness. In American English, "Sick" can encompass both meanings.
Can "Ill" describe someone's speech about another?
Yes, "Ill" can be used to describe speaking unfavorably or unkindly about someone.
Can "Ill" suggest something unfavorable?
Yes, "Ill" can denote something unfavorable or adverse.
Does "Sick" have a specific meaning in British English?
In British English, "Sick" more specifically relates to vomiting.
Is "Sick" ever used to describe someone's mind?
Yes, "Sick" can be used to describe someone perceived as mentally or morally unsound.
How would you describe a chronic condition?
"Ill" is typically used to describe chronic or more severe health conditions.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
