nauseous

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "nauseous" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that makes you feel sick to your stomach or have an unpleasant taste in your mouth. For example, "The nauseous smell of the trash filled the hot summer air."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

My mum brought these to the hospital on my first day of treatment, and the memory still makes me nauseous.

The Guardian

No wonder, then, that Winterbottom and Brand's documentary-cum- state-of-the-nation address The Emperor's New Clothes feels so sincere – it's a howl of rage at a political and economic system that the two evidently find nauseous.

The Guardian - Film

She had felt dizzy and nauseous, she said, and really a bit crap.

The Guardian - Opinion

Rather, I feel nauseous from the diesel exhaust puttering out hiccups of black smoke, as the Bhavna Putra's chipped orange and white hull soars and dips like a cistern ball-cock, on the alum-coloured waves.

The Guardian

This is Simon's take on the Invisible Children campaign: I felt a little nauseous watching the film.

The Guardian

But it is something that, if you did it every week, would leave you feeling nauseous and infantilised.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Jane looks nauseous.

The Guardian - Film

It suppresses opinion; it monopolises leisure for the countless drills and displays necessary to the generation of "spontaneous enthusiasm;" it drains off for military purposes all production above the minimum necessary to keep the people alive; it propagates the nauseous doctrine that children are born for the cannon.

The Economist

THE American president may think he has enough on his plate without worrying about the dog's dinner simmering away in the corner: the sickly Middle East peace process, with its often nauseous ingredients.

The Economist

Cancer cells are destroyed but so too are cells that would be better kept alive, such as hair follicles and the cells that line the gut, the loss of which makes cancer patients bald and nauseous.

The Economist

Nauseous patients find it hard to keep down; others find it ineffective or, by contrast, too potent.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "nauseous" to describe something that induces nausea (e.g., "a nauseous smell"), but use "nauseated" to describe someone experiencing nausea (e.g., "I felt nauseated"). Though, contemporary usage often blurs this distinction, using "nauseous" to mean "nauseated" is generally considered less precise.

Common error

Avoid using "nauseous" to describe a person's feeling. While commonly used, it's technically more accurate to use "nauseated" for the feeling and "nauseous" for the cause of the feeling.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "nauseous" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something that causes nausea or, in common usage, the state of feeling nausea. Ludwig provides examples where "nauseous" describes smells, doctrines, and even political systems, aligning with its adjectival role.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

13%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

7%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "nauseous" functions primarily as an adjective, describing something that causes nausea or the feeling of being sick. While technically "nauseated" should be used to describe the feeling, "nauseous" is frequently used in both contexts, a nuance Ludwig AI confirms. Usage spans across various registers, including news, encyclopedias, and more casual conversation. Despite the widespread use, writers should be aware of the technically more correct form ("nauseated" for the feeling) to avoid potential criticism. As examples from Ludwig show, "nauseous" is a common term across a range of media, indicating a feeling of sickness, disgust, or strong aversion.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

queasy

Indicates a mild feeling of nausea, less intense than "nauseous".

about to throw up

A more direct and explicit expression of feeling nauseated.

ready to vomit

Specifically indicates the imminence of vomiting due to nausea.

sick to one's stomach

Emphasizes the physical sensation of nausea, often leading to vomiting.

sick as a dog

An idiomatic expression for feeling extremely ill, including nausea.

feeling ill

A general term for feeling unwell, which can include nausea.

unwell

Similar to feeling ill, but perhaps slightly milder.

giddy

Describes a sensation of lightheadedness, sometimes accompanied by nausea.

woozy

Similar to giddy, implying a feeling of imbalance and possible nausea.

lightheaded

Indicates a feeling of faintness, which can be related to nausea.

FAQs

How can I use "nauseous" in a sentence?

You can use "nauseous" to describe something that causes nausea, for example, "The smell was "making me nauseous"". Alternatively, though less precise, it's often used to describe the feeling of nausea.

What's the difference between "nauseous" and "nauseated"?

"Nauseous" technically describes something that causes nausea, while "nauseated" describes the feeling itself. However, "nauseous" is commonly used to describe the feeling as well, although this usage is sometimes criticized.

What can I say instead of "nauseous"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "queasy", "sick to one's stomach", or "feeling ill".

Is it correct to say "I am nauseous"?

While commonly used, it's more technically correct to say "I am nauseated". "Nauseous" should describe the cause of the nausea, not the feeling itself. However, usage of "I am nauseous" is widespread and generally understood.