he was sick

USAGE SUMMARY

'he was sick' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe someone's physical health, for example, "He was so sick that he had to stay home from work."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

Then he was sick.

The New Yorker

And he was sick.

The New Yorker

Bowie knew he was sick.

Independent

He was sick and tired.

The New York Times - Arts

"He was sick," Woodson disclosed.

The New York Times - Sports

He didn't know he was sick.

The New York Times

Until he was sick of it.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

I had to leave him [when] he was sick…Thursday.

Health & Justice

"He was sick of money-grubbing contractors," one official recounted.

Huffington Post

We certainly want to remember Phil before he was sick.

Huffington Post

"The issue wasn't whether he was sick or not.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing past events, use "he was sick" to clearly indicate that someone experienced an illness. For example, "He was sick last week, so he couldn't attend the meeting."

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "he was sick" with phrases that imply dislike or boredom, such as "he was sick of it". Ensure your context makes it clear whether you're discussing health or expressing disinterest.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he was sick" primarily functions as a declarative statement indicating a past state of illness. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which confirms its correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he was sick" is a grammatically sound and widely used expression to indicate a past state of illness, according to Ludwig AI. It serves to inform about someone's health condition and is frequently found in News & Media, Scientific, and Formal & Business contexts. While versatile, it's important to ensure clarity by avoiding confusion with similar-sounding phrases that imply boredom or dislike. Remember to use "he was unwell" or "he was indisposed" for more formal alternatives, and consider nuances like "he was feeling poorly" for milder conditions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he had an illness

Focuses on the presence of a specific illness rather than a general state of sickness.

he fell ill

Emphasizes the act of becoming sick, often implying a sudden onset.

he became unwell

A more formal and general way to describe someone's condition of not being well.

he was feeling poorly

Describes a subjective experience of not feeling well, often milder than "sick".

he was under the weather

An idiomatic expression indicating a mild and temporary state of illness.

he was not well

A simple and direct way to state that someone is not in good health.

he was indisposed

A formal term suggesting a temporary inability to perform normal activities due to illness.

he suffered from a disease

Highlights the presence of a specific disease affecting the person.

he contracted an ailment

Focuses on the act of getting a specific ailment, suggesting a cause and effect.

he was hospitalized

Highlights that the health status was bad enough to require to stay in the hospital.

FAQs

What's a more formal way to say "he was sick"?

In formal contexts, you can use phrases like "he was unwell" or "he was indisposed" to convey a similar meaning with a higher level of formality.

What can I say instead of "he was sick" to indicate a mild illness?

To describe a mild illness, you might say "he was feeling poorly" or "he was under the weather".

How do I use "he was sick" in a sentence?

You can use "he was sick" to describe a past state of illness, for example, "He was sick for several days and had to stay in bed".

Which is correct, "he was sick" or "he had sick"?

"He was sick" is the correct and commonly used phrase. "He had sick" is grammatically incorrect in this context. Instead, you might say "he had an illness".