lost sick

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lost sick" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to describe someone who is both lost and unwell, but the combination is awkward and unclear. Example: "After wandering for hours in the forest, I felt lost sick and needed help to find my way back."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

A person I care about was lost, sick, and in trouble.

The New York Times

Union officials had said they decided to endorse the governor after he promised to restore three lost sick days to union members.

The New York Times

To spend a hot, dusty day at the Abu Houli checkpoint is to hear of endless problems it has brought -- families divided and jobs lost, sick people kept from their doctors and fish rotting on its way to market.

The New York Times

Most publicly funded shelters are still dumping grounds for poor decisions and ignorance, rather than what a shelter should be: a safe haven for animals that are lost, sick or injured, that are victims of neglect or abuse, or that need new homes when an owner/guardian has experienced a catastrophic life change and can't keep their pet.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"We've already asked them to accept some really difficult changes and we felt losing sick pay was a step too far".

BBC

Overall, 4.88% of workdays were lost to sick leave, of which 3.48% of workdays were lost to sick leave granted for somatic disorders and 0.93% to sick leave granted for mental disorders.

BMC Public Health

"Guys in this room have been sick of losing and sick of not getting enough respect for years.

The New York Times - Sports

In order to account for the multiple sick leaves, sick leaves of different duration, and each individual's level of employment, the variables for sick leave in each category were defined as a ratio (0 100%) of days lost to sick leave to the number of potential working days.

BMC Public Health

I spent most of it crying and in bed, feeling lost and sick.

The New York Times

They would also have lost nine sick days, vacation days and holidays.

The New York Times

Considerable progress has been made in relation to medical retirements and the days lost through sick pay - but much more needs to be done.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To improve clarity, use more common and easily understood alternatives like "lost and ill" or "disoriented and unwell" instead of the phrase "lost sick".

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "lost sick" because it is not a standard or idiomatic expression. This might lead to confusion and make your writing less effective. Use established alternatives for better comprehension.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lost sick" functions as a descriptive phrase, attempting to convey a dual state of being both disoriented and unwell. However, according to Ludwig, this combination is not considered standard English. Examples show its use in describing people or animals in distress.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

37%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lost sick" attempts to combine the conditions of being disoriented and unwell. However, Ludwig AI indicates that this combination is not a standard or grammatically correct English expression. While it appears in some news articles and general contexts, it's advisable to use clearer alternatives like "lost and ill" or "disoriented and unwell" for effective communication. The overall usage is rare, and the phrase is best avoided in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lost and ill

Replaces the less common combination with a standard conjunction for clarity.

disoriented and unwell

Substitutes "lost" with "disoriented" and "sick" with "unwell" for a more formal tone.

sick and disoriented

Reorders the words and uses "disoriented" instead of "lost" for better flow.

unwell and adrift

Replaces "lost" with "adrift" to emphasize a lack of direction or purpose alongside illness.

feeling lost and unwell

Adds "feeling" to emphasize the subjective experience of being both lost and sick.

confused and ailing

Uses "confused" to replace "lost" and "ailing" for "sick" offering a slightly more descriptive version.

stricken and disoriented

Uses "stricken" to emphasize the impact of sickness, combined with disorientation.

incapacitated and lost

Highlights the disabling effect of illness, leading to being lost.

laid up and disoriented

Implies bedridden status due to illness, combined with disorientation.

unwell and without bearings

Expresses a combination of sickness with the lack of positional awareness.

FAQs

What does the phrase "lost sick" mean?

The phrase "lost sick" is not a standard English expression. It is generally understood to mean someone who is both lost (disoriented or missing) and sick (unwell), but it's an awkward and uncommon combination. For clearer communication, it's better to use phrases like "lost and ill" or "disoriented and unwell".

What can I say instead of "lost sick"?

You can use alternatives like "lost and ill", "disoriented and unwell", or "sick and disoriented" depending on the specific context. These alternatives are more common and easily understood.

Is "lost sick" grammatically correct?

The phrase "lost sick" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. While it may be understood, it doesn't follow typical grammatical patterns and is best avoided in formal or professional writing. Opt for clearer and more conventional phrases instead.

How can I use a phrase that conveys being both lost and unwell in a sentence?

Instead of saying something like "I felt lost sick after wandering in the woods", try "I felt lost and ill after wandering in the woods". This revised sentence uses a more standard and easily understood phrase.